Beautiful & Complex Relationships
by Didjey Disantales
Summary: When a certain one-eyed demon got bored, he decided to take Berk and a few others from the series to Dreamscape and show them their future. They would watch what happened 5 years later, as well as the events that got them there. Everyone would see HTTYD2, some of the TV series episodes and possibly HTTYD. Along the way, relationships will be born, altered, mended and broken.
1. Bored Demon

**First of all, wanted to say that I apologize for not ending my other stories. I really wanted to finish M7 but I am devoid of motivation. I have been inspired recently by the fanfics where characters get to watch their own movie and decided to give it a try. Now, you should know beforehand that I DON'T like authors watching movie with the characters. I want their reaction, not the author's. So, our author (You will recognize him) won't be commenting.**

 **Now, I will address the name. "Beautiful & Complex Relationships." The thing is, I am not going to write just their reactions. I want to explore the relationships between all the characters there are in the movies and TV series. I want to warn you though, that some of the tv series characters will most likely also be here. So if you have not watched the series you may not understand everything. However I will be always telling you whether there ****are spoilers ahead.**

 **Expect plenty of relationships, alliances, rivalries and etc. ahead. You should NOT expect relationships you have seen in the franchise to be the same here. I am not saying I will chop everything, but some things may or may not get interesting. This is also useful as anti-spoiler. Now those who have not watched the series won't be able to figure out the series characters' true nature. Also there is 1 pairing in the series that I have not seen in HTTYD2 which is disappointing (those who watched know what I mean). I will explore that part too.**

 **Another thing to keep in mind is that this is going to be a whole franchise watching. We will, however, start with How To Train Your Dragon 2 film, not the first movie. I preferred the first one, but there are lots of fanfics with the first movie, and very few about the second. However the timeline is different - set before the first film. Only 2 other stories I have found have had the same base. One of them was completed and the other was not. So, not being satisfied with their reactions, I decided to write my own. You will also see tv series episodes (only the ones you and I choose). At the end, if you behave well, I will add HTTYD too. We will see. I can not promise you to finish it, mainly because I have a reputation for not completing them, but I feel the chances are higher now.**

 **I will be using transcript from Wikia. It will be in bold, while reactions of the characters will be in normal font. I will add dragons and the whole village to watch the movie.**

 **And lastly, I want to say that I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF HTTYD. I DON'T OWN FRANCHISE, DON'T HAVE ANY ROLE AT DREAMWORKS AND AM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY IN ANY WAY. ALL THE RIGHTS BELONG TO DREAMWORKS PICTURES AND AFFILIATED COMPANIES. THE AUTHOR BELONGS TO DISNEY AND I HAVE NO RIGHTS TO THE SHOW HE HAS COME FROM. ALL RIGHT BELONG TO DISNEY AND AFFILIATED COMPANIES.**

He was bored. Boredom was his oldest enemy and since his retirement it has come back to haunt him. He was now finishing his pizza, contemplating life:

"Hmm, what could I do now? Any dimensions open?"-he looked lazily around-"Nope, still tight. Ehhh, maybe I should do what those humans do and watch a movie or something?"

He was not in the mood for horror (as much as he liked it) but hated comedies (who finds Mr. Bean enjoyable?) so decided to settle for in-between - animated movie, preferably adventure one. So he went to RT and searched for the best animated movies. One of the first was a movie called "How To Train Your Dragon". He was already getting redder out of boredom so he just put it in (he was streaming - what is the point of paying if you have been exiled from that world?).

One and a half hours later, he was feeling much better. He found the movie likable and enjoyed a second pizza with it (this one he also ordered from himself). He decided not to wait and watch the sequel immediately.

Just like with the first film, he enjoyed the 2nd one. 'Those humans do have some good taste, after all. No wonder it is 98% on RT'-he thought to himself.

He got so addicted he watched all DreamWorks Dragons seasons too.

Now came the hard part - the withdrawal. What was he supposed to do now? Watching another movie was out of the question - he did not want to hurt his eye. Contemplating, however, was not something he enjoyed much - he already did that for a whole eternity. Time to move on.

Then, a sudden idea came to his head:

'Wait a minute! What if I can get the characters...to watch their own movie?! Ahaha, that would be perfect! And give me some much-needed fun. But first, I need to make sure I have no things to do'-he opened his calendar and looked at the next week. The only thing written there was "Contemplate Life".

-"Ah, well, been there, done that. Time to do something exciting! Now, can I bring them to the Dreamscape? Won't be easy, but since they exist in HCU ( **HOLLYWOOD CINEMATIC UNIVERSE)** I reckon I could give it a try. Just get them all into the place and set up a movie for them. Alright, will be hard but let's give it a shot"-he flicked his fingers. Everything turned black.-"And, done!"

* * *

Hiccup was groaning loudly. Though, having come to his senses, he realized that it was not him. Or, better said, not him alone. He opened his eyes, and nearly yelped in shock. Nearby him, Astrid was grumbling with her eyes closed. Hiccup gulped in fear and decided to look anywhere but her. He was the only one that fully opened his eyes and actually move a muscle. From what he understood, they were sitting on a right side of a room. A REALLY BIG room. There was a rectangular thing in front of them, but he decided to focus on that later. Instead, he was interested in his human companions. He saw that he was sitting in the front, right in the middle, if you exclude the left part which was too dark to see. Astrid was sitting next to him, with Fishlegs on the other side. Snotlout was next to 'legs while Ruffnut and Tuffnut were next to Astrid. Hiccup was not very comfortable to be right in the middle ('Why could not have I been on the side? Just my luck...') but at least happy somewhat that he was the closest to Astrid and Fishlegs for different reasons - the latter because he rarely teased him, and the former for very obvious reasons.

The teens were slowly waking up so Hiccup decided to take a look behind him. He saw that 2nd row was occupied by Stoick, his father and the Chief of the village. He was sitting in the middle, right behind his son. Next to him, Gobbler was still snoring loudly as if he was still in his hut. He was murmuring something about having tasty limbs. Hiccup decided to ignore that and saw that many others were sitting nearby or on the 3rd and 4th rows. Those were bigger than the first two. He did notice that it was mainly teens' parents that were alongside Stoick in the 2nd row. 'I wonder what that is all about'.

Many would panic, but Hiccup was a Viking. Or at least he wanted to be one. If he had to kill a dragon, so be it. One less sheep taken every raid and if he was lucky, Astrid would finally notice him. Who knows, maybe she would even start waking up next to him more oft...'Don't go into that territory, Hiccup'-the teen scolded himself.

Astrid was the first to wake fully. She was never a deep sleeper (unlike still passed out blacksmith). So she was startled to see herself in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people around her. When she saw Hiccup, her first instinct was to punch. Hiccup managed to move away somewhat, and only got a small bruise on his jaw.

"Hey, what was that for?"-he asked.

"For abducting me and bringing me to a strange place! I demand you release me!"

Hiccup gave her his best "Really?" look.

"Yeah, cause I am so strong and powerful. I mean, look at my muscles - are they not a work of art? I scooped you up by my finger and the village with the rest and brought you here"-he said, gesturing to their drowsy companions.

Astrid thought for a second and then asked:

"If you did not bring us here, who did?"

* * *

'That's my cue'-he thought happily. Time to impress. He looked at his tie once more, checked that his hat was in place and entered the room.

When Hiccup and Astrid saw him, they yelled in fear. In fact, whoever had his eyes open was screaming. Soon, almost every single Viking (even Stoick) was screaming.

"It is Loki!"

"Our time has come!"

"We are going to Hel!"

"Where is my mead?"

"Yeesh! Calm down, people! No need to panic. I am not Loki, that guy is pathetic. And no, I am not sending you to Hel. Way too cheerful for me. I am afraid I don't know where you mead is."-he answered joyfully. He may have stopped this, but he still enjoyed freaking people out.

"Then why are we here?"-Stoick asked with as much strength as he could muster. He had to be strong for his people. But inside he was quaking. He was a Dragon Fighter after all. Other creatures (or whatever it was) were not his strength.

"Cause I was bored! That's why!"

Vikings looked at each other, confused. Hiccup managed to muster a sarcastic response:

"Great reason. Fully justified bring the whole village here. Now, since you are no longer bored, can we go back home?"

Some villagers gasped, including the teens. Hiccup was never one to shy away from sarcasm, but getting the courage to do it in front of something so powerful (they assumed he was since he brought them all here without them knowing).

He flew closer to Hiccup and stared intently. Hiccup would usually avoid eye contact, but this time he decided to keep his stare. The guy had one eye anyway. After a few seconds, during which Vikings did not utter a single word, he said:

"I like you kid. You remind me of someone. I can't say I like that guy now, but water under the bridge and all that. So, pray tell me, what do you think you are doing here?"-he asked.

"Something to do with this rectangular box, in front of us, I presume"-Hiccup answered, without wavering. He was honestly surprised himself.

"You are absolutely right! You are smart, just like the previous kid. So, let me look at your friends first..."-he trailed as he started hovering in from of them. Then he got closer to Ruffnut and Tuffnut.

"Fun fact - I hate twins. You know, twins are the worst. I would probably kill you now (he was bluffing since he could not kill in Dreamscape), but you are nothing like the previous set I encountered so I will let you live. Maybe."-he said with a smile. Twins were nearly scared out of their wits, and their parent looked horrified. They turned to look at Stoick pleadingly. The chief cleared his throat.

"Ah, Chief Stoick, a pleasure to meet you. So, what is there that you wanted?"

"Who are you, demon?"-he asked.

"Well, what kind of question is that? You just answered it yourself. I am a demon! Mind you, I was retired."

Villagers looked at him in fear. Hiccup inquired:  
"You decided to quit?"

"I did not say I "retired". I said I "was retired". As in, someone retired me. Without my consent. In fact, that someone was the kid before you and his equally horrible twin sister."-he retorted, sneaking a glance at scared twins in the process.

"Anyway, enough about me. Let me explain to you this box. It will show you...the future!"-gasps could be heard everywhere.-"there were 2 different parts of the future I could have shown you. The first one is what would have started today, and the second 5 years into the future. Now, because I don't care about what you want and just want to see your reactions, I am gonna go for the 2nd. I will be stopping the movie for a few breaks where you could stretch your legs or have some snacks in the bar. No mead!"-he added, to disappointment of one viking.

"Oh, and one last thing - do you see that left side? It is dark. Do you know why? Cause your current enemies are all there, watching us."

Shouts could be heard from everywhere. Vikings were looking for their missing weapons. Among teens only Astrid was doing the same. Snotlout decided not to put his head on the line (though he did try and look brave when a certain blonde was looking). Fishlegs was muttering under his breath about some numbers and statistics. Twins were still in a shock. They have not been this quiet for so long in years.

"Where did you put our weapons, demon? And why did you bring the beasts here?"-Stoick asked angrily.

"Because they won't work in here. Your weapons, not the dragons. As for the "beasts", you should know that they are an important part of your future. Now I will unveil their side and I don't want any trouble. If I see you trying anything...you will PAY!"-he became bigger and red, looking at villagers with his scary eyes. Then he shrunk back.

"Let's hope you got it. Oh, and I may or may not let the peaceful dragons go to your side. Or any one of you, who means no harm to them, go to their side. They can't breathe fire here, or any other dangerous ability of theirs. I already talked to them and they understood. Without actually moaning and yelling."

And with that, he flicked the fingers. Everyone could see dragons, looking curiously at them. Of course it did not look like that to the villagers, who thought they were appraising them before eating them. However, they could do nothing but give them a long hard glare. They noticed that in the front row, among Monstrous Nightmare, Deadly Nadder, and Gronckle and Hideous Zippleback a Night Fury was sitting. The dragon was uncomfortable being among his kind, much like Hiccup. But he had a reputation to uphold so he was sitting with his head held high and proud. People gasped looking at Night Fury closer. No one got to see the Night Fury before and lived to tell the tale.

"Yeah, yeah, a Night Fury. Get over it."-he said lazily, and added as his last comment-"Don't bother calling me. I will come when I need to. And if you are to have some conversation of whatever that is going for more than a second, the box stops. It will continue when you settle down. Got it? Good. Have fun!"-and with that, he disappeared.

The box suddenly lit up. The movie was starting.

"What did I miss?"-asked Gobbler who has just woke up.

 **I hope you liked it. I will start writing the next chapter before releasing this one. And kudos to those who guessed who I am talking about. Regarding the pizza, there is fanmade video of this character ordering a pizza. You should watch, if you haven't already. Tell me if you got it right. I won't be naming him, but if you have no idea, look into the reviews. Anyway, I will be releasing this hopefully in less than a week. Maybe even every few days, depending on your reception. Until then, take care.**


	2. Winds of Change

**Because I received some** **positive response to the first chapter, I decided to publish the 2nd one on Tuesday. I will then continue publishing it every Saturday as planned. The good news is that I have 5 chapters ready so no problem with waiting. Hopefully I will start the 6th chapter soon enough. There are already over 20k words in the story and I hope for more.**

 **Started writing the chapter before publishing the first one. Anyway, just wanted to state again that HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the characters. The only thing I own here is their reactions. Admittedly, some of them may sound close to what the other fanfics offered - in that case I apologize in advance because I wouldn't be doing that on purpose. Have fun.**

 ** _[ Opening credits roll, followed by a shot of the village of Berk in the daytime ]_**

Villagers were shocked to see Berk looking so...different. It looked more heavily infrastructured and fortified.

'Must be those damned beasts'-though many villagers, including Stoick.

 **Hiccup:** **This... is Berk. The best kept secret this side of, well, anywhere. Granted, it may not look like much, but this wet heap of rock packs more than a few surprises.**

Hearing Hiccup's voice (it may have changed in 5 years, but it was still distinguishable among many) was even more surprising. He was the Chief's son, true, but why would HE talk? He was probably the most un-Viking-like person in their village. If someone had to talk, that would be Stoick, the real leader of men.

 _ **[On a cluster of sheep, hiding nervously between buildings as shadows of passing dragons race by. The group moves as one, receding into a shadowy alley, pushing one sheep out into the light. It's suddenly snatched and carried into the air!]**_

Some villagers grumble and shoot disgruntled looks towards the dragons. They, to be fair, look indifferent to the glares they are getting. The teens, however, noticed that the sheep was 'marked'. They wondered why.

 **Hiccup: Life here is amazing, just not for the faint of heart. See, where most folks enjoy hobbies like whittling or needlepoint, we Berkians prefer a little something we like to call-**

 _ **[WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH! A wash of vibrant colors blurs by. Dragons Barrel past at a dizzying speed. Their riders swipe, kick, and roll into one another while they weave neck in neck between the houses, docks, and revamped structures of Berk.]**_

 **Hiccup: DRAGON RACING!**

The movie stopped because everyone was shouting at once.

Riding a dragon? What kind of sorcery is this? Who is responsible for such havoc? Where was the Chief? Surely he would not let such atrocity happen!

Eventually, seeing that movie won't continue until they sat down and quieted, they decided to check what would happen further.

 **Fishlegs: WHOOOOOOO!**

Everyone looked at cowering 'legs like at a crazy hillbilly. His parents looked furious:

"Fishlegs Ingerman! What are you doing on that...that thing!"

Poor 'legs looked smaller than Hiccup now. Speaking of devil, Chief's son decided to come to his rescue:

"Mr. & Mrs. Ingerman, I am sure there is a logical explanation to this. As you can see, this happens 5 years into the future, so there is no need to be angry at your son. Instead, look at how your son has grown. Surely you must be proud?"

Everyone was shocked by this response. Hiccup was knowns for sarcastic remarks, not clear and concise talks. Hiccup was surprised even more so. He often had problems with self-esteem and rarely stood up for himself. Yet he just went and helped Fishlegs. Mind you, the latter never teased him so he guessed it came as a protection for his...friend. That sounded quite strange, because the only person he could call a friend in Berk would be Gobber. And even that would be a stretch.

Fishlegs' parents said nothing in return and sat back into their seats. So did everyone else.

 _ **[Fishlegs, now 20 and even larger, rides his Gronckle, Meatlug, who carries the sheep in her claws, until Snotlout, also 20, but every bit as juvenile, and his Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang, side-check them steal their sheep.]**_

When villagers saw themselves cheering, they looked dumbfounded. 'Definitely a sorcery'.

 **Snotlout: Oh, I'm sorry, Fishlegs! Did you want that?**

"Aha! That's me! Do you see me?"-Snotlout exclaimed, but only noticed disapproving glares. He sat down and looked at his peers. They looked...impressed. Including Astrid. That was enough for Snotlout to endure any scolding.

 _ **[Fishlegs glares at Snotlout.]**_

 **Fishlegs: Snotlout! That's mine!**

 _ **[Snotlout falls back toward Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who lag on their Hideous Zippleback, Barf and Belch.]**_

"We also got a dragon!"-said Ruffnut.

"Cool!"-her brother replied. And they smashed their helmets together.

 **Snotlout: Here ya go, babe.**

 _ **[With a chivalrous grin, Snotlout tosses the sheep to Ruffnut. She snatches it with a sneer and a grumble.]**_

 **Snotlout: Did I tell you that you look amazing today? 'Cause you do.**

The teens all looked at Snotlout with shock. The said viking also thought something was wrong. How could he move on from Astrid? She became even more beautiful than he imagined! Astrid, for her part, smirked:

"At least you got past your obsessive crush"

Snotlout tried to flirt:

"Don't you love my muscles in 5 years time, babe? I was always handsome, but now I look amazing! I am sure so do you, of course!"

"...and there goes my lunch up the throat."

Ruffnut, in the meantime, looked revolted by Snotlout's attention.

"Hey Snotlout, I don't know why you are doing this in the future, but I want you to stop, NOW!"

"Hey, if you can take my sister, be my guest. Better for me."-Tuff said, before receiving a punch in the face from his sister.

 ** _The movie resumes._**

 **Ruffnut: _(Disgusted)_ Ugh. Come on, Barf. It's starting to stink around here. **

**_[Barf starts to peel off, spewing gas. Tuffnut mocks Snotlout with a mugging grin.]_**

 **Tuffnut: Nope. Still hates you. Let's blow this place, Belch! Alright!**

 ** _[Belch ignites the gas, sparking a flashy explosion, and leaving Snotlout behind in the smoke. As they rush past the main bleachers, Ruffnut drops her sheep into one of five baskets suspended over a chasm at the lap crossing. Each backboard bears an image of its corresponding dragon. The Barf/Belch basket filled to the brim with sheep. Presiding over the game, Stoick turns to the frenzied crowd.]_**

 ** _"_** Cool!"-the twins said together. They looked like winning this race!

"Stoick is here!"-many vikings exclaimed. They were surprised that their Chief was perfectly fine with having dragons on Berk, let alone dragon racing!

Chief looked frazzled himself. He could not believe that this was happening! What happened that changed everything? It is only 5 years in the future! His ancestors' ways stayed with them for centuries!

The teens, in the meantime, were enjoying seeing their future selves happy.

 **Stoick:** **Ha-ha! That's nine for the Twins, Astrid lags with three, and Fishlegs and Snotlout trail with NONE!**

"Seriously, Snotlout? You are letting them win?"-Hofferson said, before turning to twins-"No wonder you are leading!"

Astrid was frustrated. She WANTED to win the race. Does not matter whether in the future or not, winning was in her blood. She had to prove that Clan Hofferson was still the most fearless of them all.

"Hey, don't look at us"-Tuffnut replied-"It is in the future, and no one asked Snotlout to help us. Not that we mind."-he grinned and high-fived his sister.

 ** _[Stoick eyes an empty basket at the far end, its backboard painted with an image of Toothless.]_**

 **Stoick: And Hiccup is... nowhere to be found. Hmmm.**

 **Gobber: Scared him off with the big talk, didn't ya, Stoick?**

"Hmm, never seen that kind of a dragon before. Could it be... Does Hiccup ride a Night Fury?"-Fishlegs cried. All vikings were shocked. It was not their first surprise of the night, nor would it be the last, but it was definitely one of the bigger surprises. He may have been Stoick's son, but he was far from a viking.

Hiccup looked amazed himself. He looked to the left side of the theatre, and saw a Night Fury, eyeing him curiously. Hiccup immediately pushed himself back.

Teens looked at him with amazement. Hiccup was a dragon rider, and of a Night Fury! Fishlegs looked like he met his idol, the twins had their mouths wide open, Astrid looked impressed (Hiccup's heart jumped at this) and even his cousin Snotlout could not even say anything.

Gobber was quietly whispering to Stoick:

"Stoick, surely that "big talk" wasn't what I think it was, was it? The lad is only 20!"

"I know, Gobber, I am surprised myself. Let's finish watching this future, and then see what happens."

 ** _[WHACK! Snotlout, still smoldering from the blast, gets clipped from behind. Astrid, rolls in, astride Stormfly, spirited and competitive as ever, and beautiful despite herself.]_**

Now it was other teens' turn to look at her, amazed. Astrid uncharacteristically blushed, looking at her future self. She turned out to be alright, if the looks her peers were giving was any consolation. Hiccup's heart was beating twice as fast as before, and even Fishlegs and Tuffnut looked star-struck. Snotlout was having a hard time finding words (not that he had them when looking at Hiccup before). Ruffnut looked a bit jealous at the attention Astrid was getting.

In fact, the whole village was loudly talking about it.

"The Hofferson girl turned out to be something!"

"She really is the best of the bunch!"

"How about a union with my son?"-Spitelout's voice was heard.

"Better than what my wife looked like when younger" (the viking in question received a slap from his wife)

Even Silent Sven was trying to make human sounds.

Gobber smirked and turned to Stoick:

"Would you not want to have Astrid as your daughter-in-law, eh, Stoick?"-the blacksmith said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I have to admit I am impressed by her, since she looks to be a great viking, but let's be honest here - Hiccup is out of her league."

"I am sure your son would appreciate your faith in him"-came a deadpanned reply.

 **Astrid: What are you doing, Snotlout?! They're going to win now!**

 **Snotlout: She's my princess! Whatever she wants, she gets!**

 **Astrid: Ruffnut?! Didn't she try to bury you alive?!**

 **Snotlout: Only for a few hours!**

"Astrid, I swear, I have no idea what I am doing there! I was cursed, I am sure! Please believe me!"-Snotlout exclaimed. Astrid smiled wickedly in return.

"You know what? I am fine with it. In fact, I am jumping inside! As long as you stop bothering me, everything is cool. Thor must have had mercy on me."

 **Hiccup: _(V.O.)_ Dragons used to be a bit of a problem here. But that was five years ago. Now, they've all moved in. And, really, why wouldn't they?**

 ** _[The racers chase each other through a sprawling hangar and into a vast cave, teeming with colorfully painted dragon stables. They exit through the far side and circle back through the village, blasting past many of its dragon-friendly additions.]_**

Vikings started listening again, hoping to understand what is going on.

 **Hiccup: _(V.O.)_ We have custom stables... all-you-can-eat feeding stations... a full service dragon wash... Even top-of-the-line fire prevention, if I do say so myself.**

 ** _[In the village, a baby Gronckle sneezes, accidentally setting one of the Viking houses aflame. Astrid peels away from the other dragon racers, and yanks open a spout on the overhead network of aqueducts, dousing the flames with a surge of water. Back to Stoick, amused as he watches the racers round the island, searching for sheep. He turns to Gobber and nods.]_**

"Wow!"- was all that could be heard by the villagers. Berk changed so much! And, seemingly, for the better! Who knew those beasts could actually be tamed and controlled!

Dragons also looked impressed by this. No more fighting the villagers for food! But what about the Red Queen? What happened to her?

 **Stoick: It's time, Gobber.**

 **Gobber: Righty-ho! _(Aloud, to the crowd)_ Last lap!**

 ** _[A horn sounds. The racers all turn to each other, excited.]_**

Even the vikings in the theatre looked to be enjoying the racing. Better than Regatta, that's for sure! They were starting to cheer either for the twins (who could believe it?!) or Astrid (including the teens, bar the twins themselves).

 **Astrid: The Black Sheep! Come on, Stormfly! We can still win this thing!**

 **Ruffnut: Come on, Barf!**

 **Tuffnut: Let's go!**

 **Fishlegs: Go, Meatlug!**

 ** _[Gobber loads the Black Sheep onto a catapult.]_**

 **Astrid: Whooo-hooo!**

 **Tuffnut: Let's go, let's go, let's go!**

 **Gobber: _(To the Black Sheep)_ This is your big moment. Have a nice flight!**

 ** _[He pulls the trigger, launching the Black Sheep into the air. Astrid spots it and steers Stormfly into a steep climb toward it.]_**

 **Astrid: Up, up, up!**

Astrid was getting excited! She was almost there!

 ** _[In a flash, Fishlegs and Meatlug fly in and nab the sheep.]_**

"I can't believe it! I lost to Fishlegs? On a Gronckle?"

"Looks like I am better than you are."-Fishlegs said, smug. He quickly wiped a smile off his face when he saw Astrid giving him her "death glare".

 **Astrid: NO!**

 **Fishlegs: YES! Good job, Meatlug!**

 ** _[Fishlegs tosses his captured prize to Ruffnut.]_**

 **Fishlegs: Here you go, darling! _Mine's_ worth ten!**

"What? I also like Ruffnut? What is happening here?"

Astrid was absolutely seething, to the delight of the twins. They rarely won any competition against the Hofferson girl, and to do it at dragon racing was wicked!

Hiccup was not concerned about it much, though. He asked Fishlegs:

"You called your dragon "Meatlug"?"

Fishlegs looked surprised by the question, before answering hesitantly:  
"Hmm, I guess I did. I like it." He then tried to find his Meatlug among the dragons. It was sitting in the first row, looking at him with...care? 'I must be dreaming'-thought 'legs.

 **Ruffnut: Yeah! The Black Sheep!**

 **Astrid: _(To Snotlout)_ You guys are fighting for _Ruffnut?!_**

 **Ruffnut: I'm totally winning!**

 **Fishlegs: We're winning together!**

 ** _[She rams Barf into Meatlug, sending Fishlegs into an uncontrolled spin. He slams into Snotlout, sending their dragons tumbling head over tail. The crowd goes wild.]_**

 _"_ Seriously? We give you sheep and you do THAT?"-Fishlegs asked, unhappy. Snotlout also looked miffed.

 **Snotlout: Oh, no!**

 **Ruffnut: Whoo-hoo! No one can stop me now!**

 **Tuffnut: Except for me. We're attached, genius! Quit trying-**

 ** _[He grabs at the sheep. Ruffnut fights back, inciting a tug-of-war.]_**

 **Ruffnut: Hey!**

 **Tuffnut: -to steal all my glory!**

For the first time in a few minutes, the village looked unsurprised. Twins fighting each other was so common people expected it at least a few times a day.

 ** _[Astrid and Stormfly fly toward them. Astrid stands on Stormfly's back, keeping her balance.]_**

 **Stoick: Get 'em, Astrid!**

"Ooh, cheering for Astrid, aren't you, Stoick?"-Gobber asked, suggestively. The whole village also looked surprised that their Chief was not neutral in this race.

Astrid looked proud that the Chief himself was cheering for her. She must have done great things in the future. Will do. Will have done.

 **Tuffnut: It's MY glory!**

 **Ruffnut: Always ruining EVERYTHING!**

 **Tuffnut: NO SHEEP, NO GLORY!**

 ** _[Astrid leaps off of Stormfly, runs up Belch's spindly neck, and plucks the Black Sheep from the Twins' hands.]_**

 **Astrid: Gotcha! Ha-ha!**

 ** _[She tumbles through the air onto Stormfly, sticking a perfect landing, the Black Sheep in hand.]_**

"Yes!"-Astrid jumped, pumping her fist. She was delighted. Now just to finish the race!

Vikings, in the meantime, looked impressed with her dragon riding skills.

 **Tuffnut: Whoa!**

 **Ruffnut: Astrid!**

 **Stoick: Well played! Ha, ha, ha! _(To the crowd)_ _That's_ my future daughter-in-law!**

Silence. For the first time since the start of the future, silence. You could hear a pin drop. Hiccup marrying Astrid? The runt of the litter getting the most beautiful and skilled young viking in Berk? Unbelievable.

Astrid and Hiccup both blushed. The latter was over the moon, probably over Valhalla too. He couldn't believe it! What happened that made...this, happen?

Hofferson, in the meantime, tried to compose herself. Maybe the Chief was just exaggerating. Or it was in the heat of the moment. She never hated the Chief's son, but she found him incapable of doing anything and as such decided to ignore him. Surely she could not have fallen in love, especially with him? She wanted to cleanse the Hofferson reputation first!

Snotlout and the rest of the twins also looked like fish on land. The former could not believe his useless cousin got the girl before he did!

Gobber smirked at Stoick. Chief just rolled his eyes and turned his head back to the screen. He was elated inside, though.

 **Fishlegs: Whoo-hoo!**

 ** _[Back to Astrid on Stormfly, eyeing the fast-approaching finish line, unaware as Fishlegs suddenly rams Meatlug into Stormfly, sending Astrid off-course. She recovers and sees Snotlout flying headlong toward her, war hammer cocked, aiming at Astrid.]_**

 **Snotlout: Uh, excuse me!**

 **Astrid: Stormfly!**

 ** _[Snotlout hurls his hammer. Astrid ducks and rolls Stormfly out of the way. The hammer catches Fishlegs in the face with a CLANG. The crowd collectively winces.]_**

 **Crowd: Oh!**

"Hey, what was that?"-Fishlegs asked, clearly miffed that his future self will get a hammer in the face. He was ignored due to other conversation, though.

"I am sorry, Astrid! You know I would never do that! I told you I am cursed! And I bet I know who did it! Hiccup!"-Snotlout pointed his finger at the Chief's son.

"I can barely lift a sword, and yet you expect me to curse a great warrior like you?"-Hiccup asked sarcastically. It was lost on his cousin though.

"Then, you must have attacked me when I was sleeping. Typical Hiccup! Couldn't handle me doing excellent with Astrid, and cursed me to fall in love with Ruffnut AND attack Astrid. In fact, I am sure you cursed Astrid too! No way would she fall in love with YOU!"

Astrid looked back and forth at Hiccup and Snotlout with an observant look. She was almost certain Snotlout was spouting nonsense (as usual), but it WAS strange. Then again, riding dragons was also something "unexpected", to say the least.

"I swear, I would never curse anyone! Even if I knew how! Please, you gotta believe me."-he added the last part, looking at Astrid in particular. Hofferson girl said nothing.

Stoick decided to interrupt their conversation:

"Alright, that's enough! I am sure we will find out more about what happened later. No need to blame anyone!"

The teens relaxed, though Snotlout still looked murderous. Hiccup decided to slide down his seat.

 ** _[Astrid and Stormfly recover from their roll, loop over the water, and they blast past the finish line, dunking the Black Sheep into their basket! ASTRID WINS!]_**

 **Stoick: That's thirteen! Astrid takes the game!**

 ** _[A shot shows two white sheep in the basket staring surprised at the Black Sheep's bottom]_**

 ** _[The crowd comes unhinged. Astrid flies over the crowd, basking in her victory.]_**

 **Astrid: Yeah! Ooh-ooh!**

"I won! I won!"-Astrid exclaimed. Twins rolled their eyes, used to this. Snotlout tried to congratulate her, but Hiccup beat him to it, saying:

"Congratulations, Astrid, great racing."-with a smile. Astrid couldn't help but give a small smile of her own.

 **Hiccup: _(V.O.)_ Yep. Berk is pretty much perfect. All of my hard work has paid off. And it's a good thing, too, because with Vikings on the backs of dragons, the world just got a whole lot bigger.**

'So it WAS Hiccup!'

Villagers all looked at the Chief's son, who tried to duck behind his seat, only to be yanked by Astrid. He sent her a quick glare (which she returned with a smirk) and look back at Berkians. He was worried most of them would hate him, but not many did. Mildew did, admittedly, but when was he ever friendly? Maybe a few more of "traditional" vikings, but others looked with curiosity and interest. Some even looked with adoration.

It was his father's reaction Hiccup was looking for. He was worried his father would be disappointed with him. So imagine his surprise (and joy) when the Chief looked at him with the eyes that said: 'I am proud of you, son.'

The teens also looked at Hiccup with a mixture of amazement and adoration. From the runt of the litter to the world-changer. And in 5 years!

"Your son may be different, Stoick, but I reckon it is a good different."-Gobber whispered to the Chief. The latter could only nod.

The dragons also looked at Hiccup with shock. So there were good humans, after all. Night Fury, even without knowing his rider well, straightened his posture and looked at the dragons with a pride. The dragons also looked happy because they knew that something must have happened with the Red Queen. What, though?

"Ahem, excuse me, the triangle guy. Could you show me where the bathroom is? Cause I have something in my skivvies I need to remove."-Gobber said loudly, hoping for a response. And response he got.

Response of a disgust. Older vikings were used to this so they just rolled their eyes (Stoick included). Younger vikings, including the teens, looked disgusted. Hiccup looked clearly unaffected. Astrid asked him:

"Are you not disgusted?"

"Oh, I am, but I have been his apprentice for almost 10 years. I am afraid I have heard, and seen, unimaginable things that still haunt my nightmares!"-the teens were laughing but this point.

"Hey! Look who is talking, fishbone!"-Gobber retorted, good-naturedly.

"At least I am not a meathead!"

"What did you call me?"

"So much earwax inside your ears? I said M-E-A-T-H-E-A-D!"-Hiccup replied with a smile. Teens looked surprised that usually reserved boy would suddenly banter with the blacksmith. Villagers also looked intrigued, while Stoick was feeling downcast. His son had a better relationship with Gobber, than with him, by the looks of it. He hoped this would change later though.

"Alright, alright. I am here. Bathroom, you said? I guess you could use some rest. 10 minutes for you to do your business with the skivvies and for others to talk, walk around and take some refreshments behind the theatre. Alright, have fun!"

And on this note villagers (and dragons) got up from their seat to mingle. And they had some mingling to do, that's for sure.

 **Well, that is the first part done. I wanted to keep Hiccup's appearance for the 2nd part. Now, my favorite scene is between Hiccup and Astrid when their relationship is shown in full. It will be heavily "reacted" by the watchers. I will also put the first piece of the 2nd part for mingling. People and dragons communicating (no dragon talking with words, though, sorry.) and bothering Hiccup, no doubt.**

 **Also, if you feel you don't understand their reactions, characters and events (Astrid about clan Hofferson reputation, Mildew, Silent Sven, Regatta and a few others) then you should watch Dreamworks:Dragons. I especially loved Race To The Edge seasons. All 6 seasons. I did that to understand the characters better and I feel that I am perfectly capable of mimicking them now. And the seasons are actually good, so watch it, I am sure you will like it. I know I did.**

 **I hope you can see where I am going with the reactions. The teens slowly bonding, Hiccup and Astrid in particular. Stoick also mending his relationship with Hiccup will be here, and that is without talking about dragons, who will be heavily included in the next parts. If you want anything else, tell me. I, for one, want to add Gothi too, Spitelout, Mildew, Silent Sven, Bucket, Mulch, Gustav and others into the part. If you feel they are not needed, then that will be fine. I want to include them though. The TV series watchers will understand.**

 **Also, I wanted to say that I do not believe Hiccup was abused in Berk. Some people believe it and I respect their opinion, of course. I never read the books (nor do I want to) so I don't** **know whether the bullying part came from there or just an intuition, but I believe books are not part of DreamWorks Dragons franchise. DreamWorks toned it down on purpose and I feel that Hiccup was just considered a disappointment by vikings, not more. He was still Chief's son, and Stoick was well-respected, so Hiccup was just either ignored or looked at with disappointed faces by vikings. Among the teens, Astrid ignored Hiccup (though they could have been friends when younger, that part could also fit in, suit yourself), Fishlegs never personally went against our hero, but rather supported twins and Snotlout to make sure he is not the next target. Twins would be more of a mocking type, while Snotlout was the only physical guy here, and even then, attacking rarely, because his cousin's father was the Chief and Spitelout most likely warned him not attack Hiccup. As for Stoick, I can really see he loved his son. Very much. But being a boar-headed viking that he is, he would never listen and as such would be also disappointed with the boy. But love was always there.**

 **Now that is out of the way. The purpose of my rant was to explain if you feel that their bonding is getting (not that we got there yet- not even close) too easy. Just wanted to warn those who like** **darker version of the story. I read plenty of fanfics about abuse (is it called Hiccup!whump, or something? I honestly have no idea.) and found them really interesting, but do not share the same view on HTTYD.**

 **If you have any questions to ask, don't hesitate to do so. I will be posting my replies either in the chapters, or via PM. Up to you.**

 **And lastly, there is never enough disclaimers. So, here it goes:  
** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the characters. I am sure you know who he is, by know. Until then, take care.** **  
**


	3. A New Beginning

**So, I am back. After a pretty warm reception towards second chapter, I hope you will enjoy this one too. If I feel that the reception was really good, I MAY release 4th chapter on Tuesday again. But only MAY. I also need to make sure I have written the next chapters. Don't want to run out empty.**

 **And I have some news as well. I decided to add several characters to the fray. They won't be sitting with the Berkians and dragons during the movie though. Rather, they will have their own small room where they will be watching the movie from. Now, these characters are from the TV series, which I** **just finished yesterday. And highly enjoyed. In fact, I am developing one of the episodes to be part of this story. It will be a standalone chapter, probably the after next one, so you can skip it. I will also be warning you when it is time those added characters discuss the movie. There won't be a script to go with, but rather their overall reactions to the movie. I feel that I needed to add them since they shaped our heroes, but since they are not in the movie, there is no point in making them interact with our characters. HOWEVER, during intermission, anything is possible...**

 **The characters are: Alvin, Savage, Dagur, Heather, Ryker, Viggo, Johann, Mala and Throk. I will make sure no major spoilers are there, of course, but you might find out about their "nature" by reading their reactions. Interestingly, I like all of them, even the annoying ones.**

 **Also, disclaimers. Haven't forgotten about them.**

 **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.**

 **One last thing - this chapter will first consist of AC (Added Characters) reactions towards the movie shown in the 2nd chapter, then intermission where teens will be discussing what happened and Toothless will make an appearance. I am eagerly waiting for Astrid and Hiccup scene though. I want to add that the scene is my favorite out of everything I watched. Why? Well, I have seen many animated and live-action movies in my lifetime, but very few had exactly the same bond Astrid and Hiccup had. Having watched the series, I understood even better how strong that bond is. And I am not even talking about Hiccup/Toothless bond. That one is definitely in the top 3 best relationships I have seen.**

 **A/N: Anyway, sorry for babbling. This part is about AC so if you haven't seen TV series, you can skip it. It will be pretty long though. Line break will be there to show where the part ends.**

* * *

Heather was feeling terrible. Her back hurt and she could feel her muscles were stiff. The last thing she did was go to sleep, so being in an upright position was strange. She opened her eyes slowly, and bit back a yelp. She was in a strange room of some sort, with a big rectangular box in front. But what surprised her the most was that she was not alone. There were 8 other people with her, and only one was a woman. Nevertheless, Heather knew how to defend herself so she was confident she would be able to fight them, should it come to pass. She looked at her neighbor and noticed he is not much older than she is. In fact, he was probably the youngest after her. He looked a bit familiar, but couldn't place it where she saw him before. Her neighbor slowly opened his eyes to stare at her with confusion.

Dagur could not understand how he managed to escape from his father but he was grateful for the condition. Until he realized he is in a strange room. And there was a girl, oddly familiar, looking at him with caution. He grinned:

"Hey, how you doing?"

The girl did not answer immediately. It looked like she was unsure whether to trust him or not, but decided to do so.

"Fine. What are we doing here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. What is your name?"

"I am Heather. And you are?"

"Don't you recognize me? I am Dagur of the Berserker tribe."-he said with a smug look on his fact. He dropped it when saw that his companion was unimpressed-"Now, while I enjoy talking to you, do you mind telling me what in Valhalla is going on here?"

"I don't know myself. I found myself in this room just like you did. And there are several others also in the room."

Dagur decided to look up and saw 7 other people. None of them looked familiar. At least his father was not here to annoy him.

Alvin woke up with a battle cry, nearly waking up everyone. He blinked slowly, trying to understand what was going on. Did Stoick do it to him? The first thing he noticed is a couple of teenagers looking at him. He decided to ignore that for now and punched Savage, who woke up immediately.

"Yes sir, the order will be completed, sir. Eh, what was the order again?"-the said man asked right away.-"Wait, where are we sir?"

"And how am I supposed to have any idea, Savage?"-Alvin asked angrily.

"Sorry sir, my mistake."-Savage replied with a sheepish smile.

Thork woke up to the sound of a yell. He saw that he was in some room with several other people, many of whom he did not recognize. Wait a minute! It was Ryker Grimborn! And someone else similar in appearance nearby. Having also looked to his right, he saw his queen! He had to protect her from those 2 dangerous men. He tried to wake her up.

"Queen Mala, I am sorry to do it, but you have to wake up!"-he said, and started shaking the drowsy queen.

"Alright, alright, Thork, what is it? Is it the Great Protector? Is he in trouble?"-she asked, disoriented.

"No, my queen, it is us who are in trouble! We are in some room with other people, including Ryker!"

At the mention of the Hunter, Mala fully woke up.

"That is bad, Thork. What do you know of others?"

"Nothing much, Your Majesty. Ryker sits next to a man who looks like he could be his relative. I don't think others are Dragon Hunters though. The two teens to our left have been looking at everyone and whispering something, but I doubt they are plotting anything. The two men that woke me up (he pointed to Alvin and Savage) look more like Vikings from the south, rather than dragon hunters. I think I also recognize that man (pointing at Johann). He is a trader and has come to us several times. Extremely annoying, if you ask me, but harmless."

"Thank you, Thork. Now I just hope we find out what is going on."

Viggo was the next to wake up. He was an intelligent man but he also knew that there are some battles you can not win. And this strange situation was one of them. He decided to wake up his brother Ryker. His brother did not look amused at first, but noticing Viggo's glare decided to look around and see what got his brother worried. Cue a surprised look from the older sibling. That all changed when they saw who was sitting in front of them. Queen Mala and her aide. Ryker wanted to go after them, only to be stopped by Viggo.

"Wait, older brother. No need to attack for now."

"But they are within our reach! We get them, we get their island!"

"True, but then what? Think. There is no way out. I can't get up, by the looks of it, and neither can you. Let's just watch how it all goes. After all, our opponent is yet to show up and I want to see him before making my move."

Johann was the last to wake up. He was in the middle of a long story (long by his standards, which is 5-novels-worthy for others) when he saw a flash. Next thing he knows, he is in a strange room with other people. 'Well, at least I will have another story to tell my customers, should I live.'-he thought.

He was happy to see he recognized everyone and as such knew who to talk to and who to try to avoid. Outcasts were not nice people, but they were on his side. So Alvin and Savage were okay. The latter looked at him with no malice so he was definitely okay with them. To his right, he saw Queen Mala and Thork. He never got to meet the queen, but he knew Thork. They were not a very friendly island, but he was a trader who never attacked dragons (mostly due to his cowardice rather peaceful relations to dragons, but still) so they looked fine with him as well. Looking behind the queen and her aide he saw the people he would definitely like to avoid. He knew Ryker but did not know who the man sitting next to him was. There was a strong resemblance though, so it must have been his brother. Johann decided to avoid the two.

Lastly, he looked to his left and saw a couple of teenagers. Perfect. Teenagers love my stories! Except for Master Snotlout from Berk, but he was an exception. He recognized the girl, because she was looking at him. Heather. The girl who enjoyed looking at the things he offered and genuinely enjoyed listening to his stories. He was just hoping the boy was just as good. The boy was sitting with his head turned so he did not recognize him at first. As soon as the boy turned his way, he was unpleasantly surprised to see the son of the Chief of the Berserkers here. Dagur was always...strange, to say the least. Must have hit his head a few too many times when he was a kid. Nevertheless, Dagur was still a better option that Ryker and his brother.

"So, nine people in one room. And, we have a rectangular box in front of us! Is it not great?"-Dagur asked aloud.

"Did you bring us here, boy?"-Alvin asked furiously. Dagur shook his head.

"As much as I would love to claim this feat, I am afraid it is not me. But I am excited about what is going to happen! Aren't you, Heather?"

"Yeah, I guess."-the girl answered quietly.

" _Well, well, well - looks like all of you have woken up._ "-the voice boomed around the room.-" _I do hope you don't mind if you don't see me. Sorry Viggo, I know how much you like to size your opponent, but I can assure you I am not your enemy. We could play a game of Maces and Talons later though I am just here to show you your future. Or, better said, future in which all of you played a certain role. This future is set 5 years into the future. None of you will appear here. The main heroes will be, in fact, Berkians._ "

"Berkians? How come?"-Alvin yelled angrily. He could not believe that after 5 years nothing has changed. He still was not on Berk if he was not to appear in this future shows in this box.

Dagur looked thoughtful. He knew he wanted to take Berk if he was to become the Chief, but this changed things. Or, maybe, he DID try to take it, and that shaped the future about to be shown.

Johann looked interested. He liked Berk and its people so seeing them would be good. Who knows, he might see some of his acquaintances there, if they were not taken by dragons, that is.

Others looked less interested. The brothers did not know what they were doing so down south. Were there not enough dragons up north anymore? Heather knew nothing of Berk so was just looking down, waiting for the future to start. Queen Mala and Thork also never dealt with Berk so had no idea what to expect.

" _Now, now - no need to think. All you need to do is watch. You will see what happened to Berk in 5 years time. Mind you, all of you did a LOT to it between today and the future you are about to see. Some of you were their allies, some of them enemies - and some of them were both allies AND enemies! Exciting, isn't it? Well, don't want to keep you waiting. The future will be shown in parts between which you could move around freely and even grab refreshments. Enjoy!_ "

And with that a movie started.

 **A/N: Like I said before, I don't want to include their commentary during the showing. They don't appear in the movie and as such are not relevant. However, their thoughts, ideas and opinions will be voiced at the end of the screening. So basically this part will be their reactions towards what we have seen so far (dragon racing). I WILL, however, let them have a commentary during the series screening. However, even then it would be only those that appeared in a chosen episode. Otherwise, AC** **will only be giving their reactions at the end. So now, their reactions. Continue until next line break if you don't want spoilers.**

* * *

"Wow! Dragon riders! Who would have thought? And Hiccup getting that girl?! Wow, never knew that runt of the litter could actually do something like this!"-Dagur laughed maniacally. He was surprised by these turns of events, but surprisingly found it funny rather than threatening. He knew Hiccup Haddock well enough to be sure Berserkers would not be under danger of the Dragon Riders. He looked around the room to see others' reactions.

To his right, Mala and Thork were looking at each other silently. Neither was happy that dragons were used for games and being...slaves of those people. Were they in the league with the Dragon Hunters? If so, the Grimborn brothers definitely did not show it. If anything, they looked unhappy. At least Ryker did. His neighbor was clearly deep in his thoughts. If they had to guess, Ryker worked for him. He clearly looked like the brain of the operation, with Ryker being the brawn.

Alvin and Savage were already discussing as to how capture one of those dragon riders.

"If we get one of those teenagers, they could teach us how to ride a dragon, sir."-Savage said.

"No, no. I have a better idea. What if, we get one of those teenagers to teach us how to ride dragons, eh? What do you think?"-Alvin asked, oblivious to the fact Savage said exactly the same thing a moment ago.

"Of course sir, smart as ever, you are."-Savage replied, used to this.

Johann looked intrigued. The village seemed to be prospering, and he even noticed a few of the products he would offer to Berk. That most likely meant he was alive! And still trading with Berk!

The last one Dagur looked at was Heather. He still felt some strange connection to the girl, but had no idea what it was. The brunette was not sure as to what to think. She never really had hatred for dragons. Her village was blessed with remote location so few dragons ever got to the village. Riding a dragon sounded exciting! Who knows, maybe somewhere along those 5 years she got to meet the Dragon Riders and even ride a dragon!

"I have to say, I know Berk well enough so I am surprised to see master Stoick agree to dragon co-inhabitance. And master Hiccup seems to have done well himself."-Johann said, breaking a silence hovering around the room.

"So you say that Berk are not dragon-friendly yet?"-Viggo asked carefully. Trader Johann shook his head.

"No, master, all vikings there absolutely hate dragons. I have seen many places where dragons are not liked, but few hate them as much as Berk. Which makes this, ah, change of scenery so surprising."

"Interesting."-Viggo said and went back into his own thoughts. He was still thinking as to what happened that changed everything. Did his business even exist yet?

"I still believe it is slavery. Dragons should not be under our command. Berkians are clearly tyrants for using dragons for their own needs."-Thork said firmly.

Ryker decided to join the conversation:

"Well, not all of us kiss those beasts' paws. They deserve to be locked up!"

Thork was about to bite back, but he was stopped by Queen Mala. She shook her head, asking to stop this conversation before it went ballistic. He complied.

"I don't know about you, but seeing all that sheep fly made me hungry. Is there anything to eat here?-he asked, louder this time.

" _Hungry, I see? Well, I have no problems letting you eat. One more thing - you will be mingling with Berkians and dragons._ "-he ignored a bunch of noise from them-" _You won't be allowed to attack any of them, nor will you be able to. You can only talk and eat. That is all. Now go and have some fun!"_

* * *

 **A/N: You can start reading from here if you haven't the first part of the chapter. This is Hiccup and teens interactions so no series** **spoilers. Read freely.**

Hiccup just about got up when he was surrounded. Teens were the closest to him and they were all babbling something different. Fishlegs must have been talking something about dragon classes and twins about how cool the future was and whether they could visit that future soon. Both Snotlout and Astrid were silent. The rest of the village in the meantime cleared towards food. They wanted to talk to Hiccup but the Stoick knew Hiccup would be under enormous pressure, and his son was not ready to face everyone.

Snotlout was looking at the nails of his right hand casually (or at least trying to) when he suddenly punched Hiccup in the face. Or tried to. Astrid, who was clearly aware of trouble Jorgenson could put Hiccup into, grabbled his hand and twisted it, much to the teen's pain. Everyone stopped talking as Astrid said menacingly:

"I don't know what is happening and how all that happened, but you will NOT attack anyone here with a proper reason. And I don't see one for your failed attack on the Chief's son."

Jorgenson whimpered and nodded. Astrid decided to let go of his arm. Twins and Fishlegs looked at Snotlout with a startle. They knew Astrid never really liked Snotlout, but it was known in Berk that Jorgenson and Hofferson clans never saw eye to eye. Seeing Astrid protect Hiccup was something else though. She never did that before. She never attacked him either, or even teased him, but she never interacted with him.

"Anyway, do you think we should go and eat?"-Astrid asked of the group-"I don't think any of us will get the answer by standing here doing nothing."

In the meantime a certain Night Fury was slowly approaching the teens. The other dragons warned them not to do it, but he had to try. His neighbors decided against approaching their future riders for now, but Night Fury was not scared.

He carefully moved around the seats to see his rider. He got to a good position and looked over the rider. He looked more like a small stick rather than a viking. At least he would not have to carry a ton-like viking. He made a noise to attract their attention.

Every teen jumped in fear when seeing that Night Fury was behind them. Hiccup was clearly scared to approach him though.

"Come on, Hiccup"-said Fishlegs-"Surely you know him better than anyone!"

"How can I know him if I have not even met him?!"-Hiccup whispered-yelled. The other teens looked worried that Night Fury would attack. Instead, the dragon sat down and looked at them, curiously.

"Alright, let me try something."-Hiccup whispered before taking a step forward. The dragon growled a bit, but Hiccup stood his ground.

"Hello, Night Fury."-he started, receiving disbelieving looks from the teens. Did he think talking to it would work?-"I am Hiccup. And this is Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and Snotlout."-he said gesturing to the teens. To appease the dragons he slightly bowed his head. To his amazement, Night Fury did the same.

Hiccup smiled a bit before continuing:"Well, I guess we will be partners in the future, huh? What do you think?"

The Night Fury decided to try and imitate the smile Hiccup was giving him. It did not look anything like a normal smile, but Hiccup and the other teens smiled at the dragon's attempt. Even Snotlout looked interested and peaceful (rare combination for him).

"So, I am going to slowly approach you know."-Hiccup said, making baby steps forward. The dragon looked okay with it. Hiccup decided to get close enough. It was now or never. He was slowly extending his hand. 'Either my hand is gone forever or we become friends.'-he thought.

The teens looked horrified. They started whispering-screaming at the Chief's son, knowing full well that Stoick the Vast would probably kill them if something happened to Hiccup. A feeling of dread for the Haddock boy had nothing to do with it. Nope. Purely because they were scared of his father. They were not worried for Hiccup at all. Right?

Night Fury growled a bit at first but Hiccup decided to keep going.

"Don't worry, I am not going to hurt you."-he said.-"You truly are a magnificent dragon, aren't you?"-he added with a smile. Night Fury seemed to like his compliment. He puffed his chest a bit. He thought he looked dignified, but the teens were struggling to contain laughter. The most dangerous dragon to attack Berk was definitely funny. Hiccup bit back a smile.

"Yeah, you liked it, didn't you? Well, I can say already that I like you, dear Night Fury"-he continued.-"There is no need to be scared. If anything, I am scared of you. But you wouldn't hurt me, would you? You would never hurt your future partner, I know it."

The teens were surprised to see Hiccup talk with such freedom. But then again, he never talked to dragons before (to the extent of their knowledge) so that was not entirely unexpected. Fishlegs was trying to breathe in every moment of the interaction while the twins were silently harboring hopes of a total destruction caused by the Night Fury. Snotlout looked mortified that his cousin, so weak and frail, would suddenly have guts to talk to dragon. Astrid, on the other hand, was not fully happy. She was still skeptical about the dragons, no matter what the future held. But with no weapons in sight she was powerless to stop the dragon.

Hiccup in the meantime fully extended his arm and turned away. Night Fury looked at the hand curiously, before slowly leaning towards it.

And thus, Toothless and Hiccup became friends. Again.

 **I hope you liked it. I wanted to add more reactions, mingling of both rooms' inhabitants and even Astrid/Hiccup scene but I am afraid I don't want extra long chapters. As much as I like writing, I don't want to exhaust myself by writing too much. I hope you liked what I have** **written in this chapter. As you can see, relationships are born here, changed, and analyzed. I am sorry if you wanted to read more of them watching movie, but this fanfic is not like others. I don't want to put the script in, add their insignificant reactions and be done with it. I really like their universe and as such want to show it in its full beauty. The main reason I love HTTYD and everything with it is because of the relationships. They are so complex, beautiful, and full of life that you can't not feel anything when watching the franchise. Hiccup/Astrid, Hiccup/Toothless, Hiccup/Stoick, Astrid/Toothless, Toothless/Stoick are just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many relationships! AC only added that depth in the tv series, which is why they were so successful. I just hope they announce the next 2 seasons' release date soon enough.**

 **Next chapter SHOULD have the rest of teens' exchange with Toothless, then mingling, and if we are lucky, I will add Hiccup/Astrid scene. Depends on the length. But it most likely will not happen.**

 **As always, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights to the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.**

 **And again, for full pleasure of the story, watch DreamWorks Dragons TV series. All 6 seasons. 92 episodes may sound a lot but if you really fall in love with it, you can easily do it in 3 days, especially in the summer.**

 **I also wanted to say that even though I am not a big fan of books, I have a question for you. Would you like me to add book characters in? If yes, I would be happy to add them in the future chapters. I can not say I know them too well, but I have read plenty of fanfics to understand the nature of each character. I will also have further research on them if you want so. I am doing it mainly because, after my initial skepticism, I found Camicazi likable. Adding her, however, would envisage her mother (Big Boobied Bertha of Bog Burglars, if not mistaken). And that would add Magadon and Thuggory (again, correct if wrong) and several others (another chief with his annoying daughter also there). I will, of course, make sure I understand them in full before committing to it. However, if you feel TV characters are enough, I will be fine. It was just to make relationships in this fanfic more...beautiful and complex. I totally did not say it on purpose.**

 **Till the next chapter, take care. And interact with me if you want anything.**


	4. Crumbling Beliefs

**And I am back. Hope you missed the story. Apologies for not releasing this Tuesday, it had nothing to do with your side of the deal. I received a good welcome. However, I was busy this week and could not write enough. Thankfully, I finished the 6th chapter and now going to start 7th. This is only 4th chapter so that means you will still be getting a weekly treat from me. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for reading my story.**

 **By the way, I am happy to see myself still feeling no writer block. I can write 1 chapter a day on a good day so 10 chapters could be finished in the next 2 weeks. I will release the fifth chapter on July 8th unless I receive a nice response to the chapter and I manage to finish future chapters.**

 **Another thing to say is that while I am excellent at English, an odd typing error may appear here or there. Apologies for that. And, my knowledge of HTTYD universe is not 100% (90%+) so I may make some mistakes. In that case, correct me if I am wrong. I would be happy to discuss it with you.**

 **Now, I want to state that I decided against adding Valka to the story. While I am all for complex relationships building here, I am not sure whether it is a good idea to bring her in. I want people to see what will happen to them 5 years in the future and how they got there (by adding TV series and HTTYD as well), and Valka does not fit the story. However, I MIGHT consider her cameo if I receive many feedbacks regarding this issue.**

 **Also, this chapter is set during intermission. It will get really interesting now. The first part of intermission is the end of teens' scene. To non-TV-watchers (I will call them NTW) this part is safe of spoilers. The 2nd part? Not so much. After intermission, we will get to the Hiccup/Toothless scene and you will be able to read it safely. As always, I will be adding the notes to make sure you don't read what you don't want yet.**

 **And, lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.**

Gasps could be heard behind Hiccup as he opened his eyes and saw the Night Fury leaning into his hand. He was elated! And the teens' reactions were priceless. Fishlegs looked like he was about to faint, Snotlout's jaw nearly hit the floor, the twins' eyebrows nearly touched their long hair and Astrid had her eyes bulged out (he still found it cute).

"So, um, bud"-he said slowly to the Night Fury-"How about you, and I, go and, um, eat some food? I am sure you are hungry."

Night Fury nodded. The dragon felt happy that the small viking took liking to him. Why would not he, though? He is a Night Fury, for crying out loud! Now just to see what his friends ('That is, if they ARE his friends'-dragon thought) think of him. He slowly approached them. No one moved, though it was mostly due to paralysis. Night Fury sat down and looked at them, tilting his head a little.

Fishlegs was the first to break the silence:

"Wow, Night Fury! H-hi!"-he squeaked. Hiccup decided to take the matters into his own hands. He was surprisingly feeling something strange in his gut. It was not hunger. In fact it was not physical. Was it...pride? Happiness? This positive emotion was definitely overwhelming but he tried to control himself.

"So, bud, my name is Hiccup. This is Astrid, Fishlegs, twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and Snotlout."-he gestured to all the teens, who awkwardly waved. Night Fury just nodded their heads at each one.

"Anyway, I think others are waiting for us, bud, so how about we go there?"-Hiccup asked of Night Fury, who looked like he agreed. Side by side, a boy and a dragon exited the room to get some refreshments.

"No wonder you chose Hiccup over Snotlout, Astrid."-Tuffnut said.

"Yeah! Much cooler! But, if you don't want him, I wouldn't mind going for him myself!"-Ruffnut said with a smirk.

"Hey! Astrid did not CHOOSE Hiccup over me. She must have been promised to the Chief. She clearly looked unhappy in the future!"-Snotlout cried.

"Yeah, Astrid was very unhappy. Especially when winning the race."-Fishlegs said with a smile.

"Shut up Fishman."

"Are you done? Cause I for one want to see the future and we won't get closer to watching it if we are discussing trivial things."-Astrid said, finishing the conversation. Truth was, she did not really like where it was heading and did not want to blush anymore. 'Control yourself, Astrid Hofferson. You are a viking! No more blushes till the end of the future. No. More. Blushes.'

* * *

Hiccup was surprised to see all the vikings not approach him when he entered the snack room. He was glad about it, but was not sure what was the reason behind their sudden loss of interest. Then it hit him. A certain dragon walking by him may have been the reason. Another reason to like him, then.

Stoick called him:

"Son, we need to talk. Without your dragon."-he added, earning a glare from the Night Fury.

Hiccup knew it was coming so he had to comply. He nodded, before getting on a knee and saying:

"Hey, bud, why don't you go and have some fish with your friends over there? You could talk to them so they could meet my friends."-Night Fury scoffed at that. He had no friends! Well, except maybe a certain boy that was slowly growing on him.-"I need to talk with my dad. Wish me luck."-Hiccup smiled and received a smile (somewhat better than the first one) from the dragon.

"Hey, dad."-Hiccup said when he approached the Chief-"Look, dad, I don't..."

"Don't worry, Hiccup."-Stoick said firmly.

"You...you are okay, with all...this?"-the son asked.

"I have 2 ideas as to what is happening. Either this is all just rubbish and demon is trying to trick us"-Stoick said-"or it is really true. You trained the beasts! They no longer attack us! Son, as soon as it is all done, I will put you into dragon training. You must have captured the Night Fury and tamed it!"

"But, dad, I don't want to FIGHT dragons. And I can't kill them either."-Hiccup said, a little downcast. Stoick looked unabashed.

"Of course you want to! And you can! How do you think you got to tame that beast?"

"Dad, don't call him beast!"-Hiccup loudly interjected, earning hushed whispers from everyone listening (which was all Berk).-"His name is..."-and he looked at the Night Fury, who was playing with a fish, before putting it into his mouth. Before finishing it, Hiccup noticed that the Night Fury had no teeth. Dragon with no teeth? Hmm.-"Toothless. Yeah, that's right. Toothless."

"Son, have you gone mad? He is clearly not your equal, and does not deserve a name!"-Stoick added, getting angry. His son was disobeying him. Nothing new, really, but this was on another level.

Hiccup had enough of it, too. That...feeling he had in the future room was back and it was urging him to speak up. He never did that before, or at least successfully tried to (outtalking the Chief of Vikings is not an easy task), but he was ready.

"Well, guess what, father? His name is Toothless. And he is my dragon. You can accept it if you want, or not. I don't care anymore. All my life everyone thought of me as failure. Including you. The best thing I got from anyone was Astrid, and it was being ignored!-"the said girl looked guilty, as did the rest of the village.-"I don't know how he got into my life, but he is my first friend and it only took me 15 years to get one! And a dragon! Not one of us, but a dragon. You know nothing of what I felt, still feel, so don't talk about me as if you know me. You DON'T."

And with that, Hiccup felt that feeling disappearing. He felt dread overtake him. What did he just say?! Was he suicidal? His father would kill him! However, he needed to make sure that he left on a high so he turned away and walked towards the dragons. He was done talking. He just wanted to be near Nig...Toothless. The dragon, who was eyeing him curiously, was only too happy to see his favorite human come back. Other dragons were finished by this point and were slowly returning back to their seats.

Suddenly one of the doors in the snack room opened and several others walked in.

'Oh, boy.'-Hiccup thought.-'Prepare for fireworks.'

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you liked so far. the first part of intermission is done. Now the AC come in. For those who don't want to read it, skip it till Toothless/Hiccup scene. I hope you liked my character development with Hiccup, Toothless and Stoick. Stoick is happy to see his son handle the dragons, but he thinks Hiccup enslaved them. Hiccup is revolted by this very idea, and the sense of pride and happiness made him more confident and stronger mentally, something he lacked in HTTYD until he met Toothless. Ergo, a rift between a father and a son. Anyway, AC part. Enjoy.**

Dagur was the first to enter the snack room. Run into, more like it. He wanted to see the dragons. Especially the Night Fury. He was not disappointed. There it was, standing next to Hiccup. 'They already bonded!'-Dagur thought.

"Hello, Berk! Dagur the Deranged is here! The son of the Chief of the Berserkers! But you already know that, don't you, Stoick?"-he smiled sinisterly, earning a glare from an unhappy Stoick. Dagur was unsure whether the Chief was unhappy at his arrival, or something happened before. Probably both.

Trader Johann was next to enter. He had no qualms with Berk so was not worried of a hostile reaction. That, and he was hungry.

"Hello, Berk! I missed you so much!"

Some Berkians, indeed, looked happy to see him. The Chief silently nodded towards the trader, which the latter took as a positive sign. Sparing a glance at the Night Fury and Hiccup, he went immediately towards the table where several of the villagers surrounded him, hoping for more of the stories.

Alvin and Savage were next. If Stoick was unhappy to see Dagur, Alvin's appearance was...something. It looked like Stoick as about to explode. Gobber looked shocked and moved closer to the Chief in case the latter needed him.

"Ahhh, Berk. Haven't seen you in a while. So, Stoick, how you doing?"-Alvin asked with a sneer.

Stoick was about to show him the stars of Valhalla when a voice rung around the room:

"No fighting. Only talking. You don't want to face the demon, do you?"

Both men looked at each other threateningly, before sighing. The battle would have to wait for a while. Going against all-powerful demon was stupid. Alvin and Savage decided to approach the table, which was already clear of many, with trader Johann deciding to stay away from a dangerous zone and staying in another corner of the room. Some villagers still followed him, listening to his stories.

Viggo and Ryker, as well as Queen Mala and Thork entered together. No one at Berk knew anyone here, and the visitors were none the wiser. They did, however, look at Hiccup and the Night Fury. Ryker looked disgusted, but Viggo still looked thoughtful. He could not shake the thoughts that something terrible happened to his business. To him, even.

The latter pair were unhappy with the boy. However, before entering the room, they agreed that going against a demon would be wrong, and so decided against approaching him. Still, they looked pitifully at the Night Fury who was enslaved by that foolish boy. The dragon could only look at them curiously.

All 4 of them, ignoring everyone else and each other decided to approach the table and eat quietly, whispering to each other from time to time.

Heather managed to sneak in during all this hoping no one would notice her. And no one did, except for a certain pair of eyes. Hiccup was surprised to see someone his age enter the room. Dagur was the closest, and he did NOT want to approach him any time soon. So he decided to approach the girl. Anything is better than Dagur, right? He had to make a quick detour first though.

Heather was startled when she saw a boy and a Night Fury approach him. She was sitting in a corner so she had no way out. She had to power through whatever was about to happen. What she did not expect was being offered a loaf of bread.

"Hey. I saw you enter and noticed you did not take any food. I figured you were hungry. So take it."-Hiccup said. Night Fury behind him only looked at Heather with interest.

"Thank you."-she was not sure as to what else to say. You have a cool dragon? He was cool, but that would still be an awkward conversation.

Hiccup tried to make it work:

"So, my name is Hiccup. And this fish-eating reptile"-he received a small slap by a Night Fury-"is Toothless. What is your name?"

"My name is Heather."

"Nice to meet you Heather. I guess you don't know what you are doing here, either, huh? So what is all that about you and the rest being in another room?"-Hiccup asked.

"Well, the voice said that we played part in this future, but do not appear in it. Something about shaping the future for you. Not sure what that means."-Heather answered. Hiccup looked thoughtful.

"So I guess we do meet in the future? I hope we become friends or something. Cause I doubt anyone else with you, apart from trader Johann, likes me."-Hiccup said, trying to joke. He was relieved to see Heather laugh softly.

"Yeah, I am pretty certain Dagur is obsessed with you in a bad way and the two vikings that came after trader Johann don't like you either. Not sure about the other four, though."

"Eh, pretty certain I am on their kill list too."-Hiccup said, only half-jokingly. Heather laughed again, firmer this time.

"So, I suppose, you wouldn't want to join Toothless and I in watching the film? That is if the demon lets us?"-Hiccup asked.-"Of course, you can stay with the others. I am sure you appreciate their company."-he added sarcastically.

"As much as I like them, I will take you up on the offer."-Heather replied with a smile. Hiccup smiled back. They both laughed when saw Night Fury jump in between smiling as wide as possible. Looks like the dragon liked smiling!

"Good, great! So, shall we go?"-Hiccup asked, trying to be chivalrous. He offered her his hand. She took it.

Hiccup could not believe it! He got to talk to a cute girl without embarrassing himself! And she looked like she enjoyed the conversation too! He was unsure as to what the future would bring them, but he definitely took liking to the girl.

Heather was also happy. Finding someone to talk to was nice. Maybe she did not have to be alone. Again. She was enjoying it. And Hiccup being cu...riously interesting was the most important thing. She did NOT think he was cute. Well, maybe he was, but that's beside the point.

By this time most of the villagers were back in the future room, bar the other teens. And the twins had to tease Astrid. What was the fun without it?

-"So, Astrid, feeling anything?"-Ruffnut asked.

-"A certain feeling, perhaps?"-Tuffnut added.

-"A negative feeling, that is."

-"Jealousy?"

Astrid was indeed, seething inside. How dare that girl take her future husband take him?! 'Wait, future husband?'- she thought, fighting off the blush. Astrid 1 Blush 0.

"Why would I be jealous?"-she asked as calmly as possible.

"She is right, guys. After all, that girl did not go after THIS"-Snotlout said, kissing his muscles. Astrid had to fight back a gag. Astrid 1 Gag 0.

"So let me get this straight"-Tuff said-"Hiccup gets a dragon, and, suddenly, he gets girls to like him? Wow, cool plan. And I thought dragons could only be useful for destruction."

Fishlegs noticed they were the only ones left. Even the visitors went back into their room. Time to go too.

"Guys, we are the only ones left. Let's go back. We can discuss it later. I want to see the future."

And with that, they slowly entered the future room.

* * *

 **A/N: And done. Now the Toothless/Hiccup scene. You should know that the part above contained NO MAJOR SPOILERS (can't even say it had any minor** **spoilers) so you can read it. I also decided to put Heather into the room. I was always fascinated by her story (which I won't spoil for you, unless I specifically warn you I am about to do it) and found it incredibly disappointing not to see her in HTTYD2. And since Hiccup and Heather feel good around each other, I felt the need to explore their relationship. Those who watched RTTE know how complex yet endearing it is.**

 **(SPOILERS AHEAD!): [I thought that, if not for Astrid, Hiccup would have fallen in love with Heather. She also likes smart guys and those willing to fight for the ones they care about so Hiccup would fit the bill just like Fishlegs. Hiccup also always looked in the tv series like he cared for her, ever since her first appearance. And since HTTYD events haven't happened yet, Hiccup and Astrid relationship (romantic one) does not exist. So Heather could swoop in. And having someone that looks like cares about her also made her interested in Hiccup] (SPOILERS END!)**

 **Anyway, I will try to make sure not to mix up the series' info with the movies. Enjoy the Hiccup/Toothless part.**

Heather and Hiccup were sitting on the left side of the front row, with Toothless lying in front of them. It looked like the dragon took liking to the girl too. The vikings were unsure as to what to make of it but decided not to rattle the Chief any further. Stoick the Vast already looked unhappy with the developments. Astrid had to settle for a place between Fishlegs and the twins with Snotlout ending the front row. The screen turned on.

 ** _[The scene changes to a boundless sky. Vast. Clear. Crisp. And from it, a black speck rockets across the horizon. The image of unbridled freedom. Tucked into his riding position, Hiccup appears to be part of Toothless. They dip, roll and dive, over a sea teeming with Thunderdrums, pulling off daring maneuvers with honed refinement, making them seem effortless.]_**

"Wow!"-was the only thing everyone in the room could say and think. It was truly incredible! Even Stoick could not help but feel amazed by this. However, Hiccup looked shocked:

"I lost a leg?!"-he yelled, for everyone to hear. People looked a bit sad at this. Losing a limb is always hard, but at such an early age? Even worse. Gobber tried to raise the mood:

"Don't worry, kid, at least you have a cool mask!"

"Yeah, to hide his scars."-Snotlout added, sneering. His response was not well-taken though.

Heather tried to comfort Hiccup. She put a hand on his shoulder and said:

"It is alright, Hiccup. These things happen. The important thing is, you are alive and well."-Hiccup smiled back at her. Astrid was furious.

"Hey, Toothless, looks like both you and me lost a leg. Or, well, a tail for you."-he petted the Night Fury, who clearly looked sad. Even the other dragons looked mournful. Night Fury was not a friendly dragon, but definitely a good ally in their raids so to see him lose part of a tail was sad.

Hiccup continued:

"I am sorry to see what happened to us, bud, but let's not be sad, alright? At least we have each other."-he said and smiled. The dragon understood and nodded enthusiastically.

 **Hiccup: Yeah!**

 ** _[They jackknife, heading skyward, rolling and tumbling through the ethereal cloud-scapes and joining high-flying Timberjacks as they soar in formation. Hiccup is bound head-to-toe in a snug, aerodynamic flight suit - an asymmetrical, functional design of leather and articulated plates. It has an air of Viking bike leather.]_**

Everyone was oohing and aahing at the tricks the pair was doing. Flying upwards, downwards, spinning and free falling was amazing! And the dragon looked happy! He was waggling his tongue for Thor's sake! It was definitely surprising.

Stoick could not believe his son could do all that. He was still unhappy with what was going on and what Hiccup told him, but he was definitely proud. These stunts were clearly hard to imitate.

The teens all looked at Hiccup with unmistakable adoration. They all saw their flying, but now they knew who was undoubtedly the best.

Hiccup was clearly embarrassed by all the attention he was getting, but not Toothless. He got up and jumped a bit trying to draw everyone's attention, before straightening his posture, trying to show off. The teens (and some of the villagers) laughed at his antics. Even Stoick cracked a smile.

Heather added:  
"You are amazing, Hiccup."

Hiccup lost all his breath and nearly choked. Heather called him amazing!

"Th-thank you, Heather."

 **Hiccup: What do you think, bud? Wanna give this another shot?**

 ** _[Toothless grumbles in protest.]_**

 **Hiccup: Toothless! It'll be fine.**

 ** _[With a click of a lever, he locks the pedals in the flared tail position. Hiccup then unhooks himself from the saddle.]_**

 **Hiccup: Ready?**

"Wow! My future self gave you the name "Toothless" too! Looks like you are destined for it, bud."-Hiccup smiled and Toothless snuggled closer to the boy.

"Fancy contraption."-Gobber spoke up.-"I trained you well."

"Thanks, Gobber. I appreciate your help."-Hiccup replied, sincerely.

"Wait, are you doing what I think you are doing?"-Fishlegs asked, looking terrified-"Are you going to JUMP?"

The villagers finally understood what was happening. Future Hiccup was unhinging himself from Toothless. Was he crazy? Stoick looked pale. Surely not?

 ** _[Toothless snorts unenthusiastically. Suddenly, Hiccup slides off of Toothless, peeling away from him like a skydiver from a plane, yelling as he plummets. Toothless dives after him. They spiral through the air, face-to-face. Toothless is having fun, despite himself. When he sees the ocean, Hiccup slips his forearms through a pair of tucked leather flaps, and yanks, unfurling sheets of leather as he extends his arms. They catch the wind, snapping like wings, and sending him gliding! Toothless unfolds his wings, too, catching up with Hiccup. The freedom is palpable. Hiccup and Toothless are, for the moment, the same. Feeling the same rush of adrenaline. Independently together. They plunge past cloud formations, splitting apart then crossing paths again._**

 **Hiccup: This is amazing!**

HE WAS FLYING! HICCUP HADDOCK WAS FLYING!

Berk has bee shocked plenty of times so far, but that was something else entirely. Hiccup himself looked shocked. Then it all erupted.

Applause. From everyone in the room. They were all on the feet applauding him. HIM! Even the dragons looked impressed and looked at him with interest and adoration. Toothless was looking at Hiccup with a sense of pride. His rider was amazing!

Stoick also joined in. He was hoping his son would notice it, but it was not to be. Hopefully some other time.

Ruff and Tuff were the first to talk to Hiccup:

"You are truly awesome!"-the twins said at the same time.-"You want to hang out with us, we will be happy! We could destroy things together! Bring your dragon too!"-they said. Berkians nearly had collective heart attacks. It was hard enough to deal with those two alone! With Hiccup and his Night Fury Berk would be burnt down to the ground.

"Thank you guys. I really appreciate it. I have to admit, I did not expect it from myself too."-Hiccup said to the crowd-"I guess we make a great team, huh, bud?"-he added, petting his dragons. Toothless could only stick out his tongue, much to the younger vikings' amusement. Even some of the older vikings found it funny. Only Mildew and a few others still looked unhappy.

 ** _[A cloud layer washes past, exposing a towering rock formation, dead ahead.]_**

 **Hiccup: No longer amazing! Toothless!**

The happy mood was quickly gone. Surely he wouldn't die!

Heather couldn't help but grab Hiccup by his arm, something the Haddock boy noticed but decided not to comment on. He would be lying if he said he did not enjoy it.

 _[Hiccup tries to steer himself away, to no avail. Toothless pours on the speed, trying to catch Hiccup as he hurtles toward collision. His locked tail makes maneuvering difficult. He's unable to pull up at a steep enough angle.]_

 **Hiccup:** **Oh, no! AHH**!

 ** _[At the last second, Toothless BLASTS the jagged rocks just ahead of Hiccup, then wraps Hiccup in his wings as they fly through it. The obliterated peak rains down around them. Toothless emerges through the cloud of debris and hurtles into the trees of a neighboring peak. They tumble down the uneven terrain, coming to rest on a small plateau]_**

People looked fearful. Surely the Night Fury saved Hiccup? Everyone was holding their breaths.

 ** _[Hiccup emerges from the cocoon of Toothless' wings. He switches his prosthetic riding foot to his walking foot and stows his leather wings.]_**

Collective sigh of relief could be heard from everyone. Toothless, however, did not look amused. He lowly growled at Hiccup, voicing his displeasure.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry bud."

 **Hiccup: That really came out of nowhere.**

 ** _[The sea stack cracks and falls]_**

 ** _[Toothless grumbles]_**

 **Hiccup: We gotta work on your solo flying there, bud. That locked-up tail makes for some pretty sloppy rescue maneuvers, eh?**

 **[ _Hiccup removes his mask]_**

Everyone looked stunned. Hiccup looked...amazing. Puberty really did well here. He definitely turned out to be handsome. Ruffnut even looked at future Hiccup dreamily while Astrid blushed. She definitely liked what he has become. The problem for Astrid was that Heather already made a headway in liking who he was now.

Gobber said:  
"Turned out alright, didn't you?"-and received plenty of chuckles in response. Stoick was also happy to see his son turn out so well. Dragon Tam...Rider, and a brave, handsome young man? Would never have seen that coming.

Hiccup admitted he liked what he saw. He knew that Gobber was right. He turned out okay, something he did not expect.

 **Hiccup: Oh. Looks like we found another one, bud.**

People looked at the view with a wonder. So that is what it is like, riding a dragon?

They did not miss the Night Fury's annoyed expression though.

 ** _[An annoyed Toothless throws a small pebble at Hiccup's head.]_**

 **Hiccup: Oh, what? Do you want an apology? Is that why you're pouting, big baby boo?**

People were laughing at what was happening on the screen. The Night Fury was clearly one clever dragon and he bonded well with Hiccup. Even dragons were doing their versions of laughter. Toothless tried, and failed, not to look amused by his future self.

 **Hiccup: Well... try this on! _[Hugs him, tries to wrestle with him]_ Ya feeling it yet? Huh? Picking up on all of my heartfelt remorse?**

Berkians were now howling with laughter as future Hiccup tried to wrestle a Night Fury! The teens' were already on the floor, nearly suffocating.

Everyone noticed the Night Fury walk on his back paws, like a human being. Where was he going?

 ** _[Toothless playfully dangles him off the edge of a cliff.]_**

 **Hiccup: _(Groans)_ Oh, come on. You wouldn't hurt a one legged- AHH!**

And with that everyone got worried again. Surely not? The Night Fury looked like he was Hiccup's friend. He would not throw him off the cliff!

Heather's grip on Hiccup's arm tightened. So did Astrid's heart when seeing that.

 ** _[Toothless laughs]_**

 **Hiccup: You're right! You're right! You win! You win!**

 ** _[Toothless falls backwards]_**

Everyone looked relieved. The Night Fury was just playing around! He had a sense of humor. 'That is, if dragons had humor.'-villagers pondered, looking at other dragons. They looked peacefully back at them.

 **Hiccup: Whoa, whoa, whoa! _[Playing with Toothless]_ He's down! And it's ugly! Dragons and Vikings, enemies again, locked in combat to the bitter- _[Toothless pins Hiccup]_ -URFFF!**

Everyone was smiling at the playful exchange between the two. They were glad to see Hiccup happy. It did bring back a nagging feeling - guilt. It was they, who were hard on Hiccup. And despite all of that, he became a great young man. Stoick would surely be proud.

Speaking of the Chief, he looked sad at the exchange. He never did that with Hiccup and felt that the dragon was even a better father than he was. Heck, by their conversation, it looked like Gobber was a better father than he ever was. Could he ever become a good father to his son?

 ** _[Toothless starts to lick him]_**

 **Hiccup: _(Groans)_ Gaaaaagh! You _KNOW_ that doesn't wash out.**

 ** _[Toothless laughs and Hiccup splashes some spit on Toothless' face]_**

Cue the laughter. 'This part of the future is definitely funny'-Berkians have thought. The teens' were enjoying the exchange the most, though. Did they all have the same bond with their dragons? They looked for them and noticed the dragons were looking back at them, curiously. Maybe they could meet them during the next intermission.

Heather felt a bit bad, though. 'Would she even have a dragon?'

Hiccup noticed Heather discomfort and whispered softly:  
"Don't worry, Heather, I am sure you have your own dragon. And if you don't, we will find you one."-Hiccup smiled, and was elated to see that Heather looked better after his words.

 ** _[Hiccup looks around at the new island he discovered and pulls out his map]_**

 **Hiccup: So what should we name it?**

 ** _[Toothless chews at his armpit]_**

 **Hiccup: "Itchy Armpit" it is.**

 **[Hiccup uses his tools]**

Everyone looked amazed at Hiccup as they saw all his contraptions and a map. That map was huge! Did he explore all that? And using sticking Night Fury saliva for paper was ingenious!

At the end, they laughed at the name of the island. They hoped not all island names were chosen by Toothless!

 **Hiccup: Whaddya reckon, bud? Think we might find a few Timberjacks in those woods? The odd Whispering Death or two in the rocks? Who knows... maybe we'll finally track down another Night Fury.**

So there was only one Night Fury? Toothless looked a bit downcast that he has not found anyone of his own kind yet, but Hiccup hugged him and the dragon felt much better. At least his...friend was there for him. Friend. That was something he was happy to think about.

 **Hiccup: Wouldn't that be something?**

 **Hiccup: So, whaddya say? Just keep going?**

 ** _[Toothless replies 'no']_**

"Oh, come on, bud! Did big baby boo get tired already?"-Hiccup asked, teasing Toothless. His friend was clearly not amused and started making unimpressed noises. Villagers just laughed at their conversation.

 ** _[A dragon screech catches their attention. Astrid and Stormfly land on the island and enter the scene]_**

'This is going to be interesting'- everyone thought and leaned in. And, with a new girl close to Hiccup, drama was definitely going to be there. Male vikings were looking forward to fireworks, female vikings to the soap opera about to ensure (some were looking for both, or had inverted preferences).

'Well, that will be something.'-went through the minds of all teens. Astrid, Hiccup, Heather and everyone else were looking forward to the exchange.

 **Aye, I am a bad guy. Leaving you with a cliffhanger. But I don't want to have extra long chapters. Not to worry though. Next chapter will be so worth it. I just thought Toothless/Hiccup relationship should be given an attention and got carried away. I don't regret it.**

 **Those who watched tv series know what happened to Heather, and will understand as to why I am getting her close to Hiccup. I already gave you my reasons earlier. I love Astrid and want her to be with Hiccup, don't worry. But the way this experience is going is now pulling Heather and Hiccup closer together. Let's see what happens next, eh?**

 **As always, if you feel there are some mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me. Or give me your opinions, ideas and advices. I will gladly take them all under consideration.**

 **I noticed many fanfics liked to focus mainly on the teens and ignore Berkians. Now, I decided not to delve into particular villagers (though Silent Sven, Bucket, Mildew, Spitelout and a few others like Gustav and Gothi will also appear) but I want their reactions here too. Stoick and Gobber are already a must, of course. Anyway, next chapter comes the scene and other AC view of what we have seen so far. The chapter after next would be the TV series...hopefully.**

 **Lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.**

 **Take care.**


	5. Romance In The Air

**Hello all. Nice to see you are all here. Happy Independence Day to my U.S. audience!**

 **So, here I was, on Sunday afternoon (US time) thinking about the reception I got for the 4th chapter. It was pretty good and I was like 'Okay, not bad, if I get myself motivated to finish chapter 7 then I will release it chapter 5 on Tuesday instead of Saturday.' And when I go to sleep and wake up at midnight (same time zone) I see new reviews, follows and favorites! And I was like 'Yes!' So pumped up! So I went to work the next day thinking about writing it. I was auditing and writing at the same time! Let's hope no dragon names ended up on the financial statements lol.**

 **I also want to state that I will always have one extra chapter as a spare. It is a must for me. So since I am releasing this chapter on Tuesday and chapter 6 on Saturday I needed an extra chapter hence why I wrote Ch7. If you want me to release on Tuesday next week too, I will need to write Ch8 &9\. If you continue motivating me so much, that will be no problem.**

 **Now, I am pretty certain everyone has been waiting for this chapter to come, including myself. Expect plenty of reactions, cause this scene will be explosive!**

 **The chapter will have Astrid/Hiccup scene and then AC reactions towards what we have seen so far. Sounds simple enough.**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.**

 **...**

 **To foolproof my disclaimers, adding another part. Should do the trick:  
** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **  
**

Everyone was looking excited. What would happen?

"Do you think we could switch places, Fishlegs?"-Astrid asked as fast as possible. Fishlegs understood what was about to happen and wanted to help her out. That, and he did NOT want to be stuck in between a love triangle. How did Hiccup get 2 girls to vie for him? Unbelievable. At least he will have a Meatlug in the future. And Ruffnut. Ugh.

Hiccup noticed Fishlegs switching places with Astrid and his face got hotter. He was sitting in between two pretty girls! He would squeal if he was not supposed to protect his reputation. Not that it was really high.

 ** _[Toothless runs over excitedly to greet Stormfly]_**

 **Hiccup: Afternoon, m'lady. Where have you been?**

Hiccup got something stuck in his throat as he started coughing, gasping for air. The teens could only smirk. Astrid was fighting her blush.

 **Astrid: Winning races. What else? The real question is... where have _YOU_ been?**

 **Hiccup: Avoiding my dad.**

"Nice to see that, after 5 years, with so many changes, your relationship remained the same."-Gobber said sarcastically. Villagers could only laugh.

Deadly Nadder noticed that she was...playing with the Night Fury? Surely that is impossible? Night Fury had no friends.

 **Astrid: Oh, no. What happened now?**

"You see? Still the same."-Gobber added. Stoick only glared at his friend.

 **Hiccup: Oh, you're gonna love this. I wake up. The sun's shining. Terrible Terrors are singing on the rooftop. I saunter down to breakfast, thinking all is right with the world and I get: _[Imitating Stoick]_ "Son, we need to talk."**

Berkians were laughing at Hiccup's amazingly good impersonation of their chief. Stoick looked red in his face:

"Come on! I don't talk like that! Gobber, tell him!"

"Nah, Chief, I think he got you pretty much spot on."-was the reply from the blacksmith.

The teens were all laughing the hardest, Hiccup in particular. He was bold in the future! And he liked it!

"Wait, Terrible Terrors sing?"-Fishlegs asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I thought they are worthless. They are the size of my..."-Tuff said before receiving a punch from the Astrid. No one wanted to hear what he was about to say.

 **Astrid: _[Imitates Hiccup]_ "Not now, Dad. I've got a whole day of goofing off to get started."**

If they found Hiccup's imitation of his father funny, it was nothing compared to Astrid's imitation of Hiccup. Every single viking was bellowing out their laughs, much to the teen's embarrassment.

"I don't sound like that! And what's with my shoulders?"-he asked Astrid. Vikings only laughed harder. Hiccup grumbled and Astrid uncharacteristically giggled.

However, Hiccup noticed that he was actually talking with Astrid like a normal person. He was happy with that, but unsure as to how it happened. Getting more confident? Appalled by her imitation? Or losing his crush on her?

 **Hiccup: Okay, first of all, I don't sound like that. What is this character? And second... what is that thing you're going with my shoulders?**

 **Hiccup: A truly flattering impersonation.**

"Exactly! I completely agree with my self. My other self. You know what I mean."-Hiccup said, agreeing with his future self. Teens could only laugh. Heather decided to join in on the fun.

"Well, I may not know you for a long time, Hiccup, but you DO sound like that."-she said, giggling. Everyone laughed, except for Astrid, who noticed a blush appear on Hiccup's cheeks. Not good.

 **Hiccup: Anyway he goes: _[Imitating Stoick]_ "You're the pride of Berk, son, and I couldn't be prouder..."**

"That's why you are unhappy? Because I am proud of you?"-Stoick asked, flabbergasted. Hiccup could only shrug.

"Well, it is not like you were proud of me for the first 15 years of my life."-he said darkly. The mood turned somber. Some vikings even looked away guiltily. They knew they were partly at fault for treating Hiccup badly.

Heather smiled at Hiccup and squeezed his arm. She felt awful for her companion. He looked like a genuinely great guy and to be mistreated like that made her blood boil. In a way, they were alike. After all, she was also alone in this world, never really being understood.

 **Astrid: _[Imitates Hiccup talking to his dad]_ "Aw, thanks, Dad. I'm pretty impressed with myself, too."**

And cue the laughter. Even dragons seemed in on it. And among Berkians Stoick the Vast was the one laughing the most. He LOVED the Hofferson girl! And that got him a bit worried about the girl sitting close to Hiccup. He did not want her to spoil anything.

"Oh, come on, Astrid! I don't sound like that! And what are you doing with my arms?"

"Yes, you do!"-both Heather and Astrid said at the same time. They smiled at each other, without any malicious intentions.

Heather was feeling bad that she was interfering with Hiccup and Astrid relationship. She knew it must have been tough on the other girl. And, truth be told, she was not sure what she found in Hiccup that she liked. She was not even sure whether she liked him as a friend, or more. And then, it struck her. She always, always, wanted a brother. Hiccup was definitely caring, protective and supportive boy. She did not want Astrid to suffer (Even though she barely knew the girl, she found herself liking Astrid) and did not mind giving them some space. In fact, with each second, she was understanding that her 'feelings' towards Hiccup are not romantic but rather familial. And she was happy with it. Having Hiccup be there for her was more than enough. She felt happy inside.

Astrid was battling inside. On the one hand, that girl was getting all cosy with Hiccup! Her supposed future husband! But she also felt some connection to the girl. And when she looked at her, she saw...herself. It was a strange feeling, so she decided to find out more after the scene was over.

 **Hiccup: _[Laughing]_ WHEN have I ever done that with my hands?**

 **Astrid: You just did.**

 **Hiccup: Okay... just... hold still. It's very serious.**

Everyone was now cooing over the couple. They may be vikings, but they knew what love was and Haddock boy and Hofferson girl were definitely feeling that emotion.

Gobber whispered to Stoick: "Better than you ever were, flirting with Valka."

Stoick thought it was a joke so he only lightly reprimanded his old friend.

Meanwhile, Snotlout realized that it is over. For good. No way can he defeat that much lov...sickness.

Astrid snuggled a bit closer to Hiccup, hiding her scarlet red face. Astrid 1 Blush 1

Hiccup looked like a cat that ate a canary. Less than 2 hours ago he was deep in his thoughts, building one of his machines, hoping this one would finally get him some sort of recognition - and now he was getting it! And plenty of it!

 **Hiccup: "You're all grown up, and since no chief could ask for a better successor, I've decided-"**

 **Astrid: TO MAKE YOU CHIEF! Oh, my gods! Hiccup, that's amazing! _[Punches him hard in the chest]_**

 ** _[Hiccup grunts, Astrid laughs. Hiccup's fin pops out.]_**

Gasps could be heard all around the room? Stoick decided to make Hiccup their Chief? Mind you, they still remembered the changes at Berk, and had some notions that it was Hiccup that gave them brighter future, but still! The boy was only 20!

Stoick was not surprised, since he knew about the "big talk". He was carefully observing the mood among his villagers, and noticed that most of them, while surprised, were satisfied with the idea of his son becoming the new Chief. He was relieved.

In between the commotion, Astrid and Heather quietly introduced themselves to each other. They were hoping for more chats later though.

Gobber looked at several vikings who were whispering, and told Stoick:

"Looks like Mildew is stirring up trouble, again."

"I will deal with him later, Gobber. Right now, we need to see what happened later. I don't get why Hiccup would just run away because of that! It is an honor!"

The teens were now looking at Hiccup glassy-eyed. Twins were still trying to process it in their brains, Fishlegs was mumbling something and Snotlout looked truly, utterly defeated. Astrid smiled to Hiccup and said:

"Congratulations, Hiccup. I promise, should you tell me the news in the future, I won't punch you in the chest."

Hiccup could only smile. His thoughts about becoming a Chief were pushed down the pecking order.

 **Hiccup: You're gonna wear out the spring coil. The calibration is very sensitive!**

 **"** Were you even listening to me? It looked like you were making fun of me!"-Hiccup said, mock offended. Astrid giggled, finally deciding to let her emotions run free. To a certain extent, that is.

 ** _[Toothless and Stormfly come running past chasing each other and knock over Astrid and Hiccup]_**

 **Hiccup: Yeah, so... this is what I'm dealing with.**

 **Astrid: What did you tell him?**

 **Hiccup: I didn't. By the time he turned around, I was gone.**

The teens groaned. Now THAT was a typical Hiccup they knew.

Stoick also looked unhappy at this. He thought that the relationship between them was better in the future, but it was not to be, it seemed.

 **Astrid: Well, it's a lot of responsibility. The map will have to wait for sure, and I'll need to fly Toothless, since you'll be too busy...**

 ** _[Astrid realizes what she just said]_**

Everyone understood why future Hiccup was so hesitant about becoming the Chief. They never saw him as happy as when he was on the Night Fury, flying in the skies. Losing that would have been hard.

Astrid took Hiccup's hand and squeezed it. Hiccup was grateful for the support. He knew it was in the future, but the thoughts of having to become a Chief were coming back furiously.

Astrid also noticed that Hiccup's other neighbor was slowly sliding away from Hiccup. The Haddock boy has not noticed, occupied in his thoughts, but Astrid did. Hofferson looked at her, a bit surprised. The raven-haired girl only smiled. And Astrid, despite never meeting that girl, understood. The girl was respecting their (future) relationship, protecting it from those who could harm it, even herself. Astrid smiled back, and the both girls felt something. A bond, being struck between the two.

 **Hiccup: It's not me, Astrid. All those speeches, and planning, and running the village... that's _his_ thing. **

**Astrid: I think you're missing the point. I mean, _chief_. What an honor. I'd be pretty excited.**

 **Hiccup: I'm not like you. You know exactly who you are. You always have. But... I'm still looking. I know that I'm not my father... and I never met my mother... so, what does that make me?**

People were unsure what to make of this one. They agreed with future Hiccup's view that he was not his father, Stoick the Vast. But surely he found the place where he belongs? That was near the dragons, was it not?

Hiccup was now struggling to keep his breath even. From such a sappy scene to something so deep made him feel vulnerable. Yet he noticed Astrid look at him with concern.

"You know, Astrid, the way you looked at me now was exactly the way future Astrid was looking at future Hiccup."

"I guess it will always be my job - being concerned for your well-being."-Astrid replied, chuckling. They both smiled at each other, and Astrid decided to keep him out of those thoughts by resting her head on his shoulder. Hiccup looked horrified and pleased at the same time. Fishlegs could only chuckle, and the villagers behind them 'aww'ed at the couple.

Hiccup also finally noticed that Heather was a bit farther than several moments ago. When he looked at her, she was trying to stifle her giggles at his still shell-shocked face. She tried to imitate his expression, and Hiccup caught up. He gave her a mock scowl, before smiling. Heather was definitely awesome. Hopefully she could stay with them after it is over. Plus, she looks smart enough not to fall for Snotlout's "charm" and that was good enough. Who knows, maybe she even likes brainiacs with kind hearts. Fishlegs would be perfect for her, then.

 **Astrid: What you're searching for... isn't out there, Hiccup. _[Puts her hand to Hiccup's chest]_ It's in here. Maybe you just don't see it yet.**

"So cliche."-Hiccup joked-"But I like it."

Astrid smiled, before noticing something.  
"Was I braiding your hair?"

"Yeah, I guess you were. I don't mind though."

"Ugh, can you be any more in love? You are making me sick."-Ruffnut said, bringing them back to reality. Tuffnut could only nod.

 ** _[Astrid kisses Hiccup but pulls back with Toothless' spit on her face. Disgusted, she tries to wipe it off.]_**

Now it was time to blush for Astrid. And hard. Astrid 1 Blush 2

Hiccup was also having hard time believing everything happening on the screen.

They barely even noticed that the scene was marred by Toothless' spit.

Toothless, however, made a sound which could only be called 'laughter'. The teens joined in, finding the Night Fury's laugh contagious.

 **Hiccup: Maybe. But, y'know... there _is_ something out there.**

 **Astrid: Hiccup...**

 ** _[He grabs Astrid's chin and points her straight ahead of them, showing her a large cloud of smoke.]_**

Villagers realized that this was the end of the romantic scene and looked a bit disappointed. They were worried about what that smoke entailed, though.

Hiccup and the teens were just hoping it was nothing too serious.

 **A/N: And the scene is done! Phew, I was so close to being destroyed here. Now, about Heather. Those who saw the series will understand every hidden reference, hint and reaction I put in here. After all she is...**

 **[SPOILERS: HEATHER'S CHARACTER TO BE DISCUSSED NEXT - FEW PLOT SPOILERS TOO, SO AVOID IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING RUINED. IF YOU WATCHED TV SERIES, CONTINUE.]**

 **...like Astrid. Both of them are independent, fearless, and protective of those they care about. Heather never found her place in the world until she met those who care about her (you know who I mean, and it ain't only the Dragon Riders, a certain man also changed her perspective regarding her birth tribe). So she was happy when she saw Hiccup take care of her. I even insinuated a romantic interest, to make it interesting for the scene. However, I always knew that Hiccup was meant to be her brother. And lest we not forget, Hiccup was called "brother" by someone else, and it kind of makes sense in the end - 3 siblings, united not by blood (fully) but by common interests and care for each other. Plus, Heather is also a considerate person, even when she is 15. And she always had a feeling Astrid and Hiccup were meant to be (she was shipping them in RTTE right from the start), so she realized that she was interfering and decided to give them space. And that longing to have someone for her manifested in a need for brother, which Hiccup provided here (and in tv series). Astrid and Heather were also best of friends in RTTE so that "bond" they struck was exactly that. I also want to bring the gang closer to Heather, and will do so in the next chapters.**

 **[SPOILERS OVER!]**

 **I hope you now understand what I wrote about Heather better. Writing her was the hardest part of the story so far. She is my favorite character from the series and I found her incredibly complex. Not to see her in HTTYD2 was disappointing. I hope they add her in HTTYD3 though.**

 **Anyway, now it is time for AC to discuss it. It won't be long, but it will establish some other relationships, not seen in tv series included. Skip if you haven't read the series or proceed at your own** **risk.**

* * *

 **After Toothless/Hiccup scene**

Just like with Berk, AC were amazed to see such a perfect flying. Queen Mala and Thork were quietly talking to each other:

"My Queen, I know that dragons should not be enslaved, but I do not think that the Night Fury is actually...unhappy about their situation."-Thork said to his queen. Mala nodded.  
"We have to watch this boy carefully, Thork. If he really did finish the war with dragons, then we must talk to him. And I am also interested what Dragon Hunters"-she pointed at the Grimborns-"have to do with that boy's future."

"They must have had some interaction, and I doubt it was a positive one, my Queen."

"Agreed, Thork. That is also confirmed by our presence here. If the boy knows Dragon Hunters, then he must surely know us too. I hope our first meeting was actually a pleasant one."

And with that, Queen Mala (and Thork) decided to talk to the "Pride of Berk" and understand more, if possible.

Viggo Grimborn was frowning at the end of the scene. He knew dragons were smart, and could be trained. He was not stupid. But he knew selling them was a good business. Nothing personal. It was his brother that hated dragons with all his might. He knew that talking to Hiccup would be useless. A 15-year old Hiccup had nothing to disclose.

Another thing on his mind was what was going to happen after the future was no longer showed. What would the voice do? Send them back with no recollection of memories, or let them change the future? He was leaning towards the latter, but he knew former was more likely. Yet he had to try. He decided to talk to voice instead. However, he wanted it to be in private, so he decided to have 1 on 1 conversation during the next break, when others would leave for food. Until then, he better get himself comfortable. Nothing to do till then.

Ryker always knew his brother was thinking too much for his own good, but he was still his blood. He knew him well enough. So to see his younger sibling so deep in his thoughts worried him. As far as he was concerned, Ryker did not care about the future. He lived in the present. No point in watching what will happen, anyway. Admittedly, he was unhappy with people riding dragons, but there was nothing he could do. Maybe they would pay a visit to Berk after this is all over.

Dagur was also thinking, though it was hard to guess what it was about. He really missed sitting to a raven-haired girl though. Heather, wasn't it? He felt some connection to her, which was a mystery to him. Hiccup also excited him. Dagur liked to call him "brother" but it was more of a taunt rather than anything else. Did they become brothers for real in the future, or were they enemies? If he had to guess, it would be enemies. He never liked Berk, never liked seeing his father be so peaceful, and hoped to become a Chief one day and attack Berk. Maybe that is what happened. Either way, he needs to talk to his "brother" soon. Maybe he was still afraid of Dagur. He chuckled darkly.

Others, like trader Johann, Alvin, and Savage did not think about it much. Johann never liked heights and was not one to be called "brave" so he could only look at 'fun' master Hiccup and his dragon were having with horror. Alvin could only growl at seeing the son of his hated enemy so happy. He was hoping that it was al least him who took that leg from the runt. Savage was not voicing his thoughts, not that he had many. He was used to repeating what his commander used to say, and slowly had his own ideas kicked out of his own head.

 **After Hiccup/Astrid scene**

During a friendly fight between Hiccup and Toothless, Queen Mala and Thork were both smiling. They understood that the bond between the two is unbreakable. They were also assured that the boy really is a good young man. Meeting him was now their top priority. Who knows, maybe with Berk being dragon-friendly, they could talk to their Chief and establish some sort of diplomatic relation.

They were less interested in the romantic scene, though they did find that just like with the Night Fury, Hiccup, future of Chief of Berk, found a perfect soulmate. The girl was brave, independent, and cared for dragons. Mala saw a bit of herself in Astrid, so she was happy with the boy's choice. Thork was having the similar thoughts.

Johann, though he loved adventure stories more, was secretly a sucker for romantic saps too, and he watched the scene with tears of joy in his eyes. He would definitely tell everyone he traded with about this amazing love story. And who could have known? The Hofferson girl, interested only in weapons and dangerous items to fight dragons, was now less violent-prone, and more feminine. And together with master Hiccup! Johann was good at spotting crushes and knew that the boy had something for the blue-eyed girl before. However, there were no reciprocated feelings back then. In fact, she would ignore him all the time, at least on his ship. So yes, he was one happy man. Would he get to supply the wedding?

Viggo decided to remember the girl. If he did get to change the future, that girl would be a valuable leverage against Hiccup. He would have to search for his other weaknesses too. Night Fury was one, though capturing it would not be as easy. Still, 2 weaknesses for the boy. Not much regarding the son-father relationship. Unlikely to be too good, though. Plus, he dealt with plenty of Chiefs, and he knew that, more often than not, the sons were impatiently waiting for their fathers to roll over and let them rule. Sometimes they would even take the matter into their own hands. Could he try and poison the relationship between the two? He had to try.

Alvin and Savage, being Outcasts, found themselves drifting off during the scene. Too much romance was ruining it.

However, all of them had a plan formulated.

Viggo was hoping to talk to the voice and probe the father-son relationship.

Queen Mala and Thork would talk to both the boy to express their gratitude and the father to establish diplomatic relations.

Johann would tease master Hiccup for a bit (teasing Hofferson girl would not be smart though). And tell more stories!

Ryker was going to talk to vikings and find out whether there were any, unhappy with the situation (this was on Viggo's orders).

Dagur would find Hiccup and try to act friendly. He knew he was outnumbered there, so he had to be smart about it. Then he would find Heather and try to understand what connected them.

Alvin (with Savage in tow) would finally get a chance to talk to Stoick. With their fists, preferably, but most likely with their mouths. They had a lot to talk about.

* * *

 **A/N: You can read again.**

The demon was thinking what to make them watch next. Should he continue the story, or not? He wanted them to see more of a "happy ending", so that they could be more destroyed when they found out about Drago. So he made up his mind.

"How are you all doing? Perfect? Not so much? Don't tell me, I don't care. Next thing you are going to watch is not the continuation of the story."-his voice boomed both in 'future' and 'AC' rooms. Some were startled initially, but decided to settle down. Everyone was interested in what were they going to watch next.

"You see, Hiccup Haddock and Astrid Hofferson may be all cuddly here"-both of them blushed at the description-"but they faced a lot of dangers throughout the years. And they cared about duty too much to think of themselves. So it took a disaster to bring them together. I, being a good demon that I am, decided to show you something beautiful start. And so, the next thing you will watch is set 3-4 years in the future, in a place called Dragon's Edge."

People were whispering now. What "Dragon's Edge"? They all looked at Hiccup who could only shrug in return.

"There is no need to worry yourselves about that place. Just know that it is far from Berk, and Hiccup Haddock and his friends spent their lives there for months."

Vikings were gasping now. The Chief's son left the village? Nevertheless, they decided to quieten down and start watching the scene from the future. Both Hiccup and Astrid were looking forward to it.

 **And done. As always, thank you for reading the chapter. You should understand that AC are important and now try to kill me for not giving your favorite characters more time. I do hope Astrid/Hiccup scene was up to the standard. As you can see, more relationships are being built, or planned to. I will list all the current ones:**

 **Hiccup/Toothless-born**

 **Hiccup/Astrid-mended**

 **Hiccup/Stoick-broken**

 **Hiccup/Heather-born**

 **Heather/Astrid-born**

 **Dagur/Heather-born**

 **Planned (in the close future):**

 **Dagur/Hiccup**

 **Viggo/Stoick**

 **Ryker/Mildew**

 **Queen Mala/Hiccup**

 **Queen Mala/Stoick**

 **Alvin/Stoick**

 **All the relationships may still experience change. That means that the current ones can still change. Hiccup may (or may not) fix his relationship with his father, Dagur and Heather may (or may not) find themselves against (or for) each other and etc. These are just examples. I would update the status.**

 **If you have any suggestions regarding potential relationships, be my guest. I would love to hear your opinion and take it into account.**

 **Next chapter you will see an episode that officially started Hiccstrid. Those who watched TV series will know which episode I am talking about. But those who don't better find it quickly and watch! Your feelings will go haywire. And it has little to no spoilers, so you can watch it without watching the previous ones.**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.**


	6. Love Is Blind: Part I

**And hey again. I hope you are excited for today's chapter. I have to admit, I received lukewarm response for the last chapter which was not bad at all. 4 reviews, 1 follow and 1 favorite (later rescinded though). Unfortunately I did not feel enough motivation to write chapters 8 &9\. I wrote half of Ch8 but unless I suddenly get super motivated between now and Tuesday (a certain mailbox full of notifications may help) I will release Ch7 next Saturday. That is still good since it means we continue weekly tradition and I am happy. **

**Now, I won't be doing shout-outs much, if any. Adding extra words is not my style. But just a few quick notes to those I can not write PM to:**

 **To the guest who wrote about Heather not being in HTTYD2: Yes, I know. Still, it does not change the fact that I am disappointed. I don't put a blame on anyone because she was added later, but I can have a wishful thinking, can't I?**

 **For others, thank you for your well-wishes and suggestions.**

 **THAT'S IT.**

 **Let's start with this: HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.**

 **NOW, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT SO READ CAREFULLY:**

 **This is going to be an "episode reactions" chapter. In fact, S4 E11 "Blindsided". When I say S4, I mean of Race To The Edge (RTTE). If you look at the series including RoB (Racers of Berk) and DoB (Defenders of Berk) which are first 2 seasons, then this episode is 6th season. Hopefully I cleared that up for you. Now, those who watched it must be shaking their hands with glee and smiling from ear to ear. Those who haven't can still watch it standalone. No big spoilers there, so no need for previous 89 episodes. Though why would you read HTTYD fanfics if you are not a hardcore fan? So chop chop, watch the series if you haven't by now. Cause this episode is one of the most sweet in the series. For those who have feelings this episode has given plenty of FEELS.**

 **This chapter should be FIRST PART of the episode. The good thing about this episode is that not a single one of AC makes an appearance here, so you won't find out anything new about them. I also have several other episodes in mind that I could use later in the story. Enjoy.**

 ** _[Opening theme is played]_**

"Was this a Night Fury...on a moon?"-Gobber asked.

However, teens were already geeking out over their own appearances. They did not look as old as in the movie, but still! And what was that place? It looked nothing like Berk! Looked cool, though!

"Hiccup, what was that strange device you were holding? And why did you say it "changes everything"?"-Fishlegs asked. Some vikings leaned closer hoping for an answer. Hiccup could only shrug and reply:

"I would love to know an answer to it, too."

"Wait, so you DON'T know an answer to it? Was it a trick question?"-Tuff asked. Ruff only backed him up:

"Yeah, yeah, wait, let us think. Hmmm, nah I got nothing. Tuff?"

"Me neither. So what is the answer?"

Other teens could only groan. Heather asked Hiccup:

"Are they always this smart?"

Hiccup could only laugh at her remark. Finally! Someone who knew the value of sarcasm!

"Well, I, for one, think that I looked Ah-mazing there. What would you say, Astrid?"-Snotlout asked. Astrid rolled her eyes. Tuff decided to pitch in.

"Snot-man, I am afraid you have not watched the FUTURE well enough. Astrid is Hiccup's wife. Or is it bride? Fiancee? Girlfriend? Mate? Other ha..."-He was interrupted by angered Snotlout.

"As if! Astrid is clearly trying to make me jealous by going after my cousin. It is okay, babe, I understand."

Astrid was nearly breaking by this point. Heather noticed the blonde girl was about to murder him and came to her (and his) rescue:

"Look, Snotlout, right? How many times does she have to repeat it? SHE. IS. NOT. INTERESTED. If she likes Hiccup"-future couple blushed at the words-"then that is how Gods want it. Do you want Thor unhappy with you? Find someone else! And it better not be me."

And with that, Heather was done. She got tired of listening to that annoying teen and he was not even hitting on HER! Astrid must have suffered so much, listening to that guy over and over and over (probably more over) again.

Snotlout could say nothing and just sat back. Astrid gave her a smile and mouthed 'Thank you'. Heather smiled back.

 ** _[_ The episode starts with a dragon attacking Hiccup and Astrid on Stormfly]**

"Wow! What was that dragon?"-Fishlegs asked, wonder in his eyes. He did not know it.

Villagers looked even more stupefied. What kind of dragon was it? Either way, they were happy they did not have to deal with him during dragon raids.

Hiccup was also looking at his flaming sword with wonder. Twins looked at him with adoration.

"Hiccup, my man, if you ever need anything - and I mean anything, we will be there for you!"-Tuff said, wiping a fake tear.

"Especially if you need to destroy things! Just show us the sword!"-Ruff added enthusiastically.

Hiccup could only smile. He was...bonding, with twins? Admittedly, destruction was not his favorite thing (though he was good at it), but it was better than nothing. Plus, twins liked to mock him, but never attack him physically (they were too busy hitting each other). Snotlout was the only one who resorted to those measures, but even then he would just give an occasional punch or push. He was Chief's son, and Spitelout must have told his son not to attack him...too hard.

"Nice weapon you got there."-Astrid said-"Fancy making my axe like that?"

"Yeah, Hiccup, the flaming sword is awesome! Imagine what you could do with it!"-Heather supported the blonde girl.

 **Hiccup: Look out! Whoa! Toothless, no! We're trying to train it.**

 **Astrid: How are we supposed to train it if we can't get close to it?**

 **Hiccup: I guess you can't blame it. The last humans it dealt with forced it to fight other dragons to the death.**

 **Astrid: Hiccup, maybe we should make room for the possibility, that the Triple Stryke is just untrainable.**

"Triple Stryke? What kind of a name is that?"-Snotlout asks with a sneer.

"Probably to emphasize his tail, Snotlout."-Hiccup replied.

In the meantime Fishlegs looked like he would faint from seeing a new dragon. Heather got worried about the big guy for a second before Astrid reassured her this is nothing new - Fishlegs is extremely passionate about dragon knowledge.

"Hmm, Triple Stryke for 3 tails? So what should be our names then?"-Tuff asked his sister.

"How about a Double Disaster?"-Hiccup asked drily. Vikings laughed at the description that fit the twins perfectly. Ruff and Tuff grinned widely and bonked their heads together.

 **Hiccup: We're making progress. If we could just find a way to get this guy on board have him fighting with us instead of against us.**

 **Astrid: Stormfly! Spine Shot!**

"Something tells me your approach won't work, dragon boy."-Astrid said with a smirk. She liked to see that her...dragon, was good in the battle. She looked to the left and saw the Nadder turn her head towards the Hofferson girl too.

"Dragon boy?"-Hiccup could only ask, his stuttering long forgotten as he looked unamused by the nickname.

"It works for you. You were the one to supposedly bring peace to Berk, after all."

 **Hiccup: Look, we've dealt with way worse.**

 **Astrid: Snotlout doesn't count.**

The teens were now gasping for breath as they found Astrid's quip hilarious. Snotlout looked indignant, but to his dismay noticed that everyone behind them were also clutching their bellies. Spitelout was the only one who looked unhappy but he alone could do nothing about it.

 **Fishlegs: Good one, Astrid. I'll have to remember that.**

"I second that."-Fishlegs said, supporting his future self. Snotlout was not happy:

"Think again, Chickenlegs. Astrid just said to make a joke. She clearly can't keep me from her thoughts."

"Yeah, and you are the centre of that joke."-Heather added, making other laugh again. Snotlout could only sit back with anger written all over his face. He seriously did not like how the others were treating him. Even the new girl was getting popular while he was being frozen out. Not fair!

 **Astrid: Fishlegs! What brings you to the valley of pain?**

 **Fishlegs: Snotlout and the Twins just got back from patrol, and there are multiple storm fronts heading right for us. We need to lock down the Edge before they start to hit.**

"Woo-hoo! You heard that, Ruff? We will be there too!"

"Yeah! I thought it would be all Hiccup. No offense, H. You are a cool dude."-Ruff added. Hiccup blushed slightly at a praise. He never expected to get it from the twins. Who knows, maybe he could hang out with them for a bit in the future.

 **Hiccup: Okay. We're not done here.**

 **Astrid: Snotlout, what are you doing?**

 **Snotlout: Covering up my "S!" What does it look like I'm doing?**

"Seriously? Storm is about to hit us and all you care about is stupid "S"?"-Astrid asked, clearly peeved. Snotlout looked unapologetic.

"Hey, this "S" is not stupid! It is better than anything you can come up with!"

At that Astrid was just about to get up and start a massive brawl but she was held by Heather.

"No need, Astrid. He is not worth it."

Snotlout heard the last part and started mumbling something, sending dark looks to everyone, especially the new girl.

 **Astrid: You're supposed to be closing the dome and battening down the hatches.**

 **Snotlout: Hey, I'm not leaving the "S" hangin' out in the wind.**

 **Astrid: Snotlout!**

 **Snotlout: Fine! Aah!**

"What I wouldn't give to have Snotlout listen to me now."-Astrid said wishfully. She meant it seriously but others took it as a joke. Snotlout looked darker than a thunderstorm.

 **[Fishlegs helps round up the dragons]**

"Another new species! Could this day get any better?"-Fishlegs exclaimed excitedly. Valhalla has come early for him. Others could only roll his eyes at his eagerness. Teens did it good-naturedly while Berkians were a bit more apprehensive.

 **Astrid: Fishlegs, hurry. You need to get em' into the stables. The storm..**

 **Fishlegs: I know. My thunder to lightning calculations are never wrong. And, according to them, well, let's just say it's.. AAh. Really close.**

 **Tuffnut: What do you want us to do?**

"Did I, just look...serious? Cool! I can't even do it now if I tried!"-Tuff said and started making faces. Others paid no attention to him because they were shocked (once more) by Thurston boy's look. He actually looked less like a deranged teenager and more like what a viking should be. The teens had a bit different thoughts, in disbelief to see that change. Even Snotlout looked stunned.

 **Astrid: Get to the clubhouse and don't move.**

 **Ruffnut: Oh, really? And who put you in charge, exactly?**

 **Fishlegs: We all voted Astrid "Storm Warden."**

"Storm Warden? I like it."-Astrid commented, content on being voted into a responsible role.

 **Tuffnut: Well, I would like to rescind my vote. If that's the right word.**

And now a complex word! This was getting more and more bizarre.

 **Astrid: Oh, sorry, too late. Now get going.**

 **[Tuffnut holds the Chicken while Ruffnut looks at it curiously]**

"Wow! I. MUST. HAVE. THAT CHICKEN!"-Tuff said, without breaking an eye contact with 'the most beautiful thing he has ever seen'. Others decided to ignore it.

 **Astrid: Did you drop off the food and water at the stables?**

Stoick looked at the screen with interest. He could feel that she had a potential to be a great leader. His son also showed it in the future. Now only if they could do it...together. He may need to try and bring them closer together.

Gobber saw his friend was thoughtful and guessed what his mind was on.

"I hope you aren't playing matchmaker, Stoick. The last time you tried, I ended up sleeping in Mildew's hut with Fungus as my wife!"

Stoick tried to look serious, but then chortled, remembering those days.

"No, Gobber, I am just going to get them closer...together. No matchmaking."

"Yeah, sure, I bet my yak, if I had one, that you are already planning to lock them in a room with no escape."

Stoick decided to scratch that off the list of his potential plans.

 **Hiccup: Yep. Troughs are all full.**

 **Fishlegs: Well, the dragons are all cozy in their pens.**

 **Astrid: Did you lock the main doors?**

 **Fishlegs: Astrid, Astrid, of course. Who would forget something like that? I mean, I guess it is possible. But I would never. But then again, there's a first time for everything.**

Astrid glared at Fishlegs who covered a bit and managed a small "sorry".

 **Astrid: I'll go check.**

 **Hiccup: Astrid, wait.**

 **[Astrid uses a contraption to get down quicker]**

"We need to create this, sister! Like, right now!"-Tuff said, enthusiastically.

"I think it was Hiccup who did it. He is the one always creating thingies."

Twins looked at him with even more adoration than possible. Astrid could only snort. Hiccup rubbed back of his head, embarrassed.

 **Astrid: Whoa!**

 **Astrid: All right, come on, you guys. We're moving to the arena before this whole place comes down.**

 **Astrid: It's okay, girl, I'm right behind you. What do you say we blow this joint, little guy?**

Everyone was now watching the scene, intently. Astrid looked pleased with her future self and was proud to see that her parents looked pleased with their girl.

Dragons were also mulling it over. The girl could have let the dragons die, yet she is willing to sacrifice herself for them! That was something groundbreaking.

 **[Astrid frees the dragon and nearly escapes before lightning hits just ahead of her, causing her to lose sight]**

Everyone looked still. No one noticed the change in her irises, except for Gothi, who got concerned. Everyone else was simply worried she was hit by the lightning.

 **[The doors explode causing dragons to retreat and Astrid to fall back. Hiccup gets there, clearly concerned. He shouts: "Astrid!". A beam is about to hit them when Toothless plasma blasts it. They escape.]**

No one dared say anything. Hofferson parents, however, looked at Hiccup and said:

"Thank you, Hiccup. For saving our daughter."

Hiccup could only meekly nod, still concerned about the blonde girl. Everyone else was still worried. She was alive in the 'future' future, so she must not have died, but some injuries could have stayed, after all.

 **Fishlegs: What happened? Is she okay?**

 **Hiccup: I don't know. We found her like this. The place was collapsing.**

 **Snolout: What about my Hookfang? Did you see him?**

"Sort out your priorities, man."-Tuff said, outraged. Astrid was about to thank him for being well-mannered when the boy added:  
"Of course my Chicken is more important than your dragon!"

Cue the roll of the eyes.

 **Tuffnut: Speaking of wayward dragons, nobody happened to see one Barf and Belch?**

 **Hiccup: Guys, they got spooked by the storm and took off. But I'm sure they're fine and they'll be back. Right now, I'm worried about Astrid.**

"Awww! You are worried about Astrid!"-Heather said, out to tease her new friends. Hiccup blushed crimson, while Astrid stared at the screen without blinking. Heather could only produce a triumphant smirk. 'I will get you later, Heather'-the Hofferson girl thought.

 **Snotlout: Sure, Toothless is right here. Everything's peachy for you.**

 **[Hiccup and Toothless stare angrily at Snotlout]**

 **Snotlout: Just an observation.**

"Who would have thought that your boy"-Gobber tells Spitelout-"would be afraid of Hiccup, huh?"

Spitelout looked unhappy:

"It is clearly because of the Night Fury. Otherwise my son would not be afraid at all."

"Sure, Spitelout, keep telling yourself that."

 **Astrid: Hiccup?**

 **Hiccup: You're okay. You're okay. I'm right here.**

If it was not obvious before, everyone could see how concerned the Chief's son is towards the Hofferson girl. Stoick was struggling to keep the grin off his face. Gobber made no efforts to restrict his.

 **Astrid: Where? I don't see you. Why is it so dark in here?**

Gothi's worst fears were confirmed. The girl was blind.

Others now finally realized the extent of her injuries. Her parents looked heartbroken and everyone else was bowing their heads. She did not die, but to lose an ability to see, for a Viking, was almost equal to it.

The teens did not know what to do. Heather and Hiccup decided to comfort Astrid, but only if she needed it. They did not want to break her. The blonde girl could only think sadly. Was that it? The end of her world? She did not want pity so she was secretly glad to see her two companions say nothing to her.

Even twins looked downcast. They were always close to injuries and to see that awful fate befall someone else was hard for them. They felt bad for the girl. Snotlout, angry as he may have been earlier, could also offer no words.

And the worst thing was that they were not sure it was permanent or not. Sure, they saw Astrid Hofferson in the 'future' future, where she won the race easily and could navigate properly. But they also heard stories about people who could rely on their other senses and replace the lost one. Maybe she was blind permanently but managed to do the impossible and live properly without seeing the world? Or maybe Hiccup Haddock created something for her? He was always creating something new. Eventually a thing would come in handy, and to such a good cause as well.

 **Hiccup: It's not.**

 **Astrid: What are you talking about? It's pitch black.**

 **Hiccup: Astrid...**

 **Astrid: Hiccup. Hiccup! I can't see any of you. Somebody say something.**

 **Tuffnut: Oh... Your hair looks really nice. I mean, considering all the fire and lighting and debris and...**

"Seriously? My hair looks nice?"-Astrid asked the twins. Tuff replied:

"Well we did not see Hiccup or anyone else say something so better than nothing."

 **Hiccup: Guys, let me talk to her. Alone.**

 **Tuffnut: She can't see.**

"Real subtle, Tuff."

Hiccup was hoping that Astrid's vision would return. In the 'future' future it looked like she could see, but he had doubts. After all, he created a flying gear! What if he managed to bring back some vision to Astrid? He was desperately hoping it is not permanent.

 **Astrid: What is happening to me?**

 **Hiccup: Whatever it is, I'm sure it's only temporary. You remember when Bucket lost his sight? He got it back.**

 **Astrid: And now he wears a metal bucket on his head, permanently.**

"It is not that bad, lass. It even predicts the storms!"

"Not helping, Bucket."-Mulch sighed.

 **Hiccup: True. Well, all I am saying is... Oh, Thor, what am I saying?**

 **Astrid: I know what you're trying to do. And I appreciate it. Really.**

 **[Astrid offers her hand and Hiccup takes it]**

"Thank you, Hiccup."

Astrid was sincere. She was sad to have lost the vision but she was a warrior. She would go through it. And with her friends, by the looks of it. She never really had many friends. Tuff and Ruff were annoying, Snotlout was unbearable and Fishlegs was dorky. She did not hate them, and since they were the only ones her age she considered them as sort-of friends. She could see that, in the future, the got much closer. And Hiccup was also a part, and a leader, of the gang. To see him try and comfort Astrid made her feel warm inside. An unfamiliar, but definitely pleasant feeling.

Hiccup may have gotten better at talking to her in the future, but present Hiccup was blushing and stuttered:

"No problem, Astrid. Always happy to help."

She could only smile at his uneasiness. It was, in a way, cute.

 **Hiccup: Look. When there's a break in the storm we'll fly to Berk and see Gothi. She'll be able to help you. In the meantime, Astrid, you need rest.**

 **Astrid: No, we have to find Stormfly. She's out there all alone. All of the dragons are.**

 **Hiccup: Don't worry about that right now. Just rest.**

 **Astrid: Hiccup? Are you still there?**

 **Hiccup: Yes. Yes. I'm here, Astrid.**

 **Astrid: Will you and Toothless stay with me a little while? Just until I fall asleep?**

 **Hiccup: Of course. We're not going anywhere, Are we, bud?**

Vikings and dragons alike felt that this scene was quite charming and powerful. Astrid Hofferson, a bright star among Vikings, wanted to be with Hiccup Haddock and the Night Fury. And Night Fury agreed! That was amazing to think of. Dragons now felt more comfortable around Vikings, though many were still cautious. Deadly Nadder whose name was supposed to be Stormfly made a few steps towards her future rider before stopping. Maybe she could join her rider later, after they stopped watched this future. And Vikings? Well, some were still cursing the dragons (Mildew complaining as usual) but some were thoughtful.

 **Tuffnut: Okay. Thorston Blind Field Test, numero uno. Who is standing right in front of you?**

Vikings could only sigh. A few dragons, including a Zippleback in the front row gurgled a bit in laughter.

 **Astrid: Tuff, I know it's you.**

 **Tuffnut: She got it! She's fine, everybody. Oh, thank Thor. Phew. That was a close one.**

Sounds of palms connecting with the faces could be heard, especially from the middle row where the Chief, Gobber and the parents of the teens sat.

 **Astrid: Guys, we can't worry about me right now. We need to worry about our dragons. They're still still out there and obviously scared or they would've come back.**

Stoick could only look amazed. The Hofferson girl was always someone he admired and he predicted bright future for her a long time ago. And yet she was willing to forget about her own predicament? To help dragons? Unbelievable. Yet something moved inside him. Something small, but the Chief felt it, though decided to ignore it.

 **Hiccup: Guys, she's got a point. We need to round them up before the next storm hits. (to Astrid) Toothless and I will find Stormfly. Don't you worry.**

"No way, dragon boy! You won't leave me there!"

 **Astrid: And leave me here? I don't think so. I'm going with you.**

"Yep, still stubborn in the future."-Hiccup smirked. Astrid decided to let him easy that time by a punch to his arm.

"Oww! Why would you do that?"

 **Hiccup: Sorry. Not an option.**

 **Astrid: Listen, I'm more effective blind, than some riders, who shall rename nameless that are fully sighted.**

"Vikings are really good with subtlety, huh?"-Heather asked with a smile. Hiccup chuckled at sarcasm.

 **Tuffnut: Is she looking at us?**

 **Ruffnut: She can't see. Hence, she cannot actually look. So, no.**

 **Hiccup: Astrid, there is no way you're flying in your condition. Right? I'm sorry. As leader, I am putting my foot down.**

Astrid looked at Hiccup threateningly.

"You are 'putting your foot down', huh? Well, we will see who wins."

Stoick in the meantime was happy to see that Hiccup, in fact, was the leader of the dragon riders. He was proud of his son and was sure he would be ready for the Chief's role, whenever it may come.

 **[Astrid and Hiccup are flying on Toothless]**

Everyone, dragons and Vikings alike, were laughing at the situation. Some vikings were nearly choking from strong laughter.

Gobber, in between uproarious laughs, said:

"You may be the leader among your friends, but we know who is the leader of YOU!"-and everyone laughed even harder.

Even Astrid couldn't help but grin at Hiccup. He was grumbling at first, but decided to join in.

"Well, she is your future wife, so you have to listen to her."-Heather teased, for an umpteenth time. Hiccup turned scarlet again while Astrid blushed furiously as well. They looked at each other and silently promised to combine and get Heather for the teasing.

 **Hiccup: Remind me never to put my foot down again.**

 **Astrid: I can still hear you, Hiccup. But I agree. Whoa!**

 **Hiccup: Whoa! Okay, you've gotta hold on tighter.**

 **Astrid: Sorry.**

 **Hiccup: No, don't apologize. The truth is, obviously, I'm glad you're here.**

 **[Astrid hugs Hiccup]**

"Aww" could be heard in the room, Heather the loudest, though that was on purpose to continue teasing her friends.

"Who knew Hiccup could be so romantic?"-Gobber asked Stoick.

"He took it from me."-the father said proudly. Gobber snorted which earned him a glare from the Chief.

The couple in question were also blushing. Astrid, who lifted her head off Hiccup's shoulder at the start of the showing, was trying not to look red. Obviously to no success. As for Hiccup, he could easily camouflage among roses with his face being on fire.

 **Fishlegs: Meatlug! Here, girl! Here, Meaty! I've got some nice fresh bauxite! Meatlug? Is that you? Don't move, Daddy's on his way!**

"Daddy's on his way? Haha, come on Fishlegs, what was that?"-Snotlout asked, laughing. Twins were also on the floor.

Mr. & Mrs. Ingerman looked a bit peeved but at the phrase rather than the fact that their son was fraternizing with their 'former' enemy. If he really liked that dragon, Meatlug, then they would not offer objections to their son having a dragon. If the said Gronckle does not burn their house. Mrs. Ingerman, in fact, found liking to the Gronckle.

 **Fishlegs: Oh, it's you. Oh, sorry, Hooky. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that...**

 **Fishlegs: Never mind. Let's just get you back to the Edge, right?**

 **Fishlegs: I finally know what it is like to be Snotlout.**

 **Fishlegs: Okay. Okay. You're upset and scared. But everything is gonna be fine. Oh, now I really know what it's like to be Snotlout.**

Fishlegs and Snotlout would often end up on the opposite sides on Berk, but they smiled at each other.

"Thanks, Fish, for, uh, trying to take care of, eh, my, dragon."-Snotlout uttered. He rarely thanked anyone, thinking it was un-Viking like (and taught by his father like that). But he did not care about what his father thought, not anymore. If his father was completely wrong about the dragons, then what to say he was not wrong about everything else?

"No problem, Snotlout. Just helping out a friend."

'A friend.'-and, for the first time since Hiccup/Astrid scene, Snotlout felt happy.

 **[Twins are walking with their eyes closed. Tuffnut has a bag over his head]**

 **Tuffnut: Uh, why am I doing this, again?**

 **Ruffnut: We are now living with a blind person, Tuffnut. And I think we owe it to her to offer our services as "seeing eye Vikings."**

Astrid just decided to ignore the twins. She did appreciate the fact they were doing it for her.

 **Tuffnut: Got it. So, wait, who's playing Astrid?**

Cue the eye rolls.

 **Ruffnut: Can you see?**

 **Tuffnut: Not a glimpse. Total darkness over here.**

 **Ruffnut: Then you, my friend, are Astrid. Now, come to the sound of my voice. Good. Okay, a little faster. Come on, let's put some hustle into it.**

 **Tuffnut: How's that?**

 **Ruffnut: You're doing great. Just a little further.**

 **Tuffnut: Okay...**

 **[Ruffnut moves out of the way to let her brother fall]**

"Ruffnut Thorston!"-parents of the twins yelled-"We know you like to play jokes but that is taking it too far! What if he fell to his death!"

"Don't worry Mom and Dad,"-Tuff came do his sister's defense-"we always do this stuff. She set me on fire several times, threw me off the cliff 3 times, threw rocks and other dangerous weapons countless times and even made me ride a boar once!"

If Thorston parents were unhappy before, they looked murderous now. They knew they liked to "Loki!" everyone in the village, and fights were a daily occurrence. But this was completely different!

Other teens could only shake their heads at Tuffnut's amazing support for his sister.

 **Ruffnut: Hey! You okay down there?**

 **Tuffnut: Nice work, Sis! I think we landed on something.**

 **[ Tuffnut fell on Meatlug]**

"See? He is fine! He always is!"-Ruff tried to defend herself but a look at her parents made her shut up.

"And we found Fishlegs' dragon! How cool is that?"-Tuff added.

 **Snotlout: I can't believe this stupid dragon. Out here in the middle of nowhere. Hookfang! Get over here, now!**

 **Snotlout: See that, Hiccup? That's the way you handle your dragon business. Come on, big guy. Bring it in for the real thing, baby.**

 **[Barf and Belch run out and trample Snotlout]**

 **Snotlout: Stupid Hiccup.**

Many were laughing at the scene. Snotlout looked unhappy, but, still giddy from getting a friend, decided to join in.

The teens, seeing Snotlout's happy demeanor, decided not to reprimand him.

 **Astrid: Stormfly, come here, girl! Stormfly!**

 **Hiccup: Okay, I'm thinking that, as jittery as the dragons were, they probably want to get as far away from the storm as possible. So, if we take this stream down towards the beach...**

 **Astrid: No! I know my dragon, Hiccup. She's more worried about me than she is about herself. Which means she would be trying to find her way back towards the Edge. Upstream.**

 **[Astrid trips on a rock]**

 **Hiccup: Astrid! Whoa!**

 **[They fall, Astrid lying on her back and Hiccup on her. Their faces are inches away]**

As always, the supporters of this pairing looked gleeful at the scene. Stoick most of all. Followed by Heather and Gobber.

"What happened, laddie? Could not save your lady sooner? Or did you delay on purpose, eh?"-the blacksmith was giving him toothy smile which Hiccup decided to ignore. For obvious reasons. He was still giddy about seeing himself so close to...Astrid Hofferson!

The girl in question also looked embarrassed, but she noticed that her future self did not mind. She looked at her neighbor and noticed he was still blushing. So, to destroy him completely, she put her head on his shoulders. Even from the right shoulder, she could hear how fast his heart was going. He was enjoying it. And so did she.

 **Hiccup: Are you okay?**

"Still stuttering? Come on, H, you can do better than that!"-Tuff said enthusiastically. He looked to be a supporter of the couple too.

 **Astrid: Uh I'm... I'm fine. We should probably get going?**

 **Hiccup: Yeah, that's exactly what I was gonna.. Get going.**

While other were either facepalming at the awkwardness or laughing at the interaction, Astrid looked at the screen, thoughtful. She had to admit she was a bit cross with her future self for not staying that way for some time. She had to admit, she liked Hiccup. His stuttering was adorable.

'As a friend! Not more!'-she thought, trying to stifle that warm feeling inside of her that was getting stronger. She managed to get rid of the feeling and lifted her head off the boy's shoulder and look into the screen, tense. From the side view, she could see the boy's shoulders slump and his face turn dejected. She ignored it. However, as they continued watching the future, the sudden coldness inside her left her puzzled and sad.

* * *

 **Well, the part 1 of the episode is done. I thought about making it one big episode but I found that after 6k words, concentration may be lost. 3-5k chapters are usually better at keeping the readers aware of what is happening. In the next chapter we will conclude this episode and, should there be enough space, offer reactions of AC to this episode.** **After that we will go back to the movie temporarily where they meet Eret. Maybe even till the part where Hiccup and Astrid disregard Chief's orders and fly away. Later, we will see. If you have any episodes you want to suggest, do it. I already have several planned and will announce a few in the next chapter.**

 **So, what about this chapter? Liked the Snotlout/Fishlegs friendship? Their relationship is MENDED. Snotlout/Heather relationship is also here, but it is BORN. Mind you, there is a mutual dislike (at least for now) but that is a new relationship. Toothless and other dragons did not appear much because I wanted to concentrate on the teens and Vikings in this episode. First episode of RTTE, after all, and so many changes for the Vikings so their reactions were needed first. Plus I don't think dragons ship Hiccstrid. Except for Toothless.**

 **Also, I am sorry for the last part. I had to do it because 15-year old Astrid is still a bit hard-headed and thinks of love as weakness. Or at least a distraction. And having a warm feeling inside can be confusing sometimes. Trying to ignore it, to stifle it, is something many do. So their relationship is ALTERED, on the verge of BROKEN. Now whether I break it or not is still up in the air. You can tell me what you want or think.**

 **The good thing is that since it is only Part 1, I may release it in a few days instead of a week. So if this chapter goes online on Saturday, then the next goes on Tuesday, and vice versa. Again, depends on how motivated I am to finish Ch8 and start Ch9. At least half of Ch9 should be done though by Tuesday.**

 **Until then, take care.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Did not think I will let you go that early, huh? No letting you off the hook easily: HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.**


	7. Love Is Blind: Part II

**Hello everyone. I am back with another chapter. This is Part 2 so hopefully you were not biting your nails in impatience.**

 **Now, I want to thank everyone for our amazing feedback. I wanted to release this chapter this Tuesday already but I was overwhelmed by the positive reception. I completed Chapter 8 and already started Chapter 9. I will also try to release 2 chapters a week if I decide to split the episode (like in this case). Otherwise it will be one chapter from now on, unless you inspire me to become a writing machine.**

 **I received quite a few replies and that was what made me happy. I want to thank everyone for writing to me. My special thanks go to** **mellielli04. I had some great time talking to** **mellie on PM. That's what I enjoy, guys- interacting with others. I do that to every single non-guest. I still appreciate guests reviews very much! Mellie also influenced this chapter. You will find out what later.**

 **Next chapter will be a (brief) return to HTTYD2. I just don't want to get to the more intense part until I got some series episodes out of the way.**

 **Now, an important announcement: You are all welcome to suggest episodes that you want! So far "Blindsided" has been the only one. I also want to add "Heather Report" (I am sure you won't guess who it is about...), "Viking for Hire" (Gobber), and probably most of season 1 lol. S1 E1-3, 5-7...In fact, whole season! Just kidding, I won't. I marked a few I won't do, but I need your suggestions, opinions and interests! I am not gonna put 92 episodes here! 30-50 would do so the opportunity is limited. I will most likely put the episodes with AC in them but if someone wants "casual" like "Viking for Hire", they are free to ask me for an episode of their liking. I won't be putting any votes up on my profile since a) I can't do it and b) I am way too lazy to figure it out. So PM or review if you want your favorite episode here. And don't forget that if you want great reactions you need them added first. After all, our Berkians and AC will get used to their future eventually. Also wanted to say that if you want something custom-made (some AC going to the 'future' room or vice versa or ANYTHING that is not here yet), just ask.**

 **I CAN NOT PROMISE YOU TO DO EVERYTHING YOU ASK, BUT AT LEAST I WILL CONSIDER IT.**

 **I received my first request: Zippleback Experience. Funnily, I was just rewatching the series and I stopped right here! I will do my best to put it in the story should it become feasible.**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.**

 **To make it more fortified than Fort Know, I am adding something else: All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

 **Phew, that should be enough.**

* * *

All who were watching were disappointed to see the two teens in the future decided to ignore the romantic tension. Not many noticed that Astrid moved away from Hiccup though. The teens did though.

Snotlout was cheering inside! Finally! The nightmare is over and Astrid realized Hiccup is not for her!

Fishlegs and Heather looked a bit sad at this as they wanted those two to get together. They looked at each other for a second before turning away.

The twins may not be the smartest on Berk but they knew emotions well. And inside, they already had theories and hypotheses regarding the situation. They had some tact not to voice them out loud. Or maybe too interested in what happens next.

Stoick also noticed this and his face fell. Of the current crop of teens he liked Astrid the most. Sure, Snotlout was his nephew, but the boy never impressed the Chief. The twins were, as Hiccup eloquently put, a "Double Disaster", and Fishlegs was not leadership material.

Gobber offered an encouraging smile to his friend, which he did not return.

 **Astrid: Do you hear that?**

 **Hiccup: Hear what?**

 **Astrid: Something's coming at us.**

 **[Toothless jumps ahead of Astrid and Hiccup to protect them]**

Even though they got used to seeing the Night Fury act so protective over its friend, people were still in mild disbelief.

 **Hiccup: Astrid, what are you doing?**

 **Astrid: It's okay. It's Stormfly.**

 **Hiccup: Huh.**

 **[Stormfly gets to Astrid and the girl hugs her dragon]**

If there was any doubt about it before, there was none now. Deadly Nadder, ignoring some of the warning growls from fellow dragons, approached the girl slowly. Astrid got up, at first a bit defensively, before deciding to relax. She slowly walked up to her, arms aloft, before offering her hand (Like Hiccup before, though she tried not to think about that boy for now). Deadly Nadder pressed her snout against her palm without hesitation.

Vikings looked amazed! They did not see Hiccup doing that so what the Hofferson girl did was a first. Astrid's parents were a bit worried at first, but decided to relax once they saw the dragon meant their girl no harm.

"So, I guess your name is Stormfly, right, girl?"-the Nadder would only coo affectionally. They both eventually settled down with a bit miffed Toothless (he did not like attention NOT being on him) moving a bit to make room for the newcomer. The other teens looked at Nadder with no worries. After a Night Fury, nothing could scare them. Probably.

 **Astrid: There's my girl! Oh, I knew you'd come. What is it, girl? What's wrong?**

 **Astrid: Hiccup! Above you!**

 **[Triple Stryke pounces on them but Hiccup gets Astrid and himself out of the way]**

Everyone was getting tense now. No one even thought about Hiccup grabbing the Hofferson girl.

 **Hiccup: Okay, Astrid, there's a rock formation ten paces to your left. Hide behind it and you'll be safe.**

 **Astrid: "Hide?" I'm not gonna hide! Stormfly!**

"Would you ever listen?"-Hiccup asked, exasperated. Astrid, still in a good mood after her encounter with Stormfly, smirked. The boy only rolled his eyes in return.

 **Hiccup: Of course she's not gonna hide. What was I thinking? She's Astrid.**

Many found the quip funny, especially the teens. Astrid glared at them at first, but then settled down, gently touching her Stormfly.

 **Astrid: Stormfly?**

 **[Stormfly takes Astrid and throws her away]**

Astrid looked a bit shocked at this. She thought her relationship with the dragon was perfect! What happened?

"Don't worry, Astrid, I think she was just trying to protect you."-Hiccup said, hoping to make her feel better.

 **Hiccup: Aah! You, stay.**

 **Astrid: Not fair, Hiccup. So not fair.**

 **Hiccup: We'll discuss it later!**

 **[Triple Stryke knocks Hiccup out of the saddle]**

"Can you maybe stop arguing on the battlefield?"-Spitelout asked, exasperated.

"Pff, I remember you and Stoick going at each other when Outcasts were attacking us. What's the difference?"-Gobber asked, winking at the future couple. Stoick and Spitelout could only glare at the blacksmith.

 **Astrid: You need me. Admit it. Stormfly, come. Stormfly!**

 **Hiccup: It's okay. She's with me. We need her help. And I can't fight this thing if all I am doing is worrying about you.**

 **Astrid: Fine. I'll hide. Exactly what an experienced Dragon Rider should be doing in a time of crisis.**

"Come on, Astrid! You are blind! Why are you being so stubborn?"-Hiccup asked, clearly at wit's end. Astrid responded even more ferociously:

"Well it is not my problem that I am better than you, even when blind!"

"This is not about me, Astrid. It is about you! You need to understand that you can not win all battles!"

"I can choose what I want, without your help!"

"But I am just trying to protect you!"

"Well then you shouldn't!"

Everyone was shocked at this. Astrid walked away (with Stormfly behind her) and sat at the other end of the front row, near Snotlout. Hiccup looked like he was punched, hard. Heather took his hand to comfort him, something the boy appreciated.

Mr. & Mrs. Hofferson were not happy about Astrid's behavior. The boy, who was clearly infatuated with her (both now and in the future), was trying to protect their girl! True, she did not need it often, but for her to reject help and in such manner was shameful. They looked at Stoick with sadness and pleading eyes. The Chief knew what they were asking for, and forgave them. His hopes of seeing them together were diminishing though. They may be about to marry in the 'future' future, but if that is how they fight, then that marriage won't last for long.

 **Hiccup: Stormfly! Spine Shot!**

 **Tuffnut: Pull harder!**

 **Ruffnut: You want me to pull her tail off?**

 **Tuffnut: Nope. No. We'd never be able to explain that to Fishlegs.**

Fishlegs did not know whether to roll his eyes or be thankful that the twins were actually more or less less considerate. He looked at a Gronckle sitting in the front row. This time he did not miss caring look in the dragon eyes. He was hoping they would get to meet each other really soon.

 **Ruffnut: Ugh. What is wrong with her?**

 **Tuffnut: Remember Fishlegs said that she eats when she's under stress?**

"You actually listened to me?"

"Hmm, don't know, probably. What did I listen to?"

'At least his intelligence seems to have increased in the future'-Fishlegs thought.

 **Tuffnut: Oh, no! She's gonna blow!**

 **[Meatlug barfs lava at the screen]**

Some vikings, still unused to watching the future, tried to hid for cover. They were a bit embarrassed and relieved when they found no one was hurt.

 **Snotlout: Come on, you two. You can't stay in there forever. Fine. You won't come to me? You know what, I blame this on the twins. They let you get away with too much. Now, me and Hooky, we're a well-oiled machine. All right. Let's go. Out! Up! Whatever you two undertand.**

 **[Barf and Belch decide to ignite Snotlout and he flies away]**

People were laughing again, though the twins offered him thumbs up, something he appreciated. He also noticed his new friend Fishlegs and his cousin Hiccup weren't laughing (though the latter was probably still disappointed he lost Astrid to him!). Astrid chuckled softly and Snotlout offered her the most sincere smile he could muster.

The twins were now looking at Zippleback appreciatively. So much destruction with that dragon guaranteed! The dragon's heads smiled at them mischievously, as if guessing their intentions.

 **Snotlout: Stupid Zippleback.**

 **Fishlegs: Hookfang! Oh, Thor! Whoa! Oh...**

 **Hiccup: Okay, let's mount up and get back to the Edge before that thing comes back. Uh, no, Astrid, that's Toothless. Don't you want to ride Stormfly?**

 **Astrid: I think she's made it clear, she doesn't want me riding her.**

 **Hiccup: Astrid, she was protecting you. She didn't want you in that fight. It was pretty cool, if you think about it.**

"Exactly! Stormfly cares about you!"-Hiccup exclaimed, trying to make amends.

"What is it to you?"

'Looks like those two would not patch things up easily'-thought Gobber. Maybe locking them off in a room wouldn't be such a bad idea. Though, on second thoughts, she would probably kill him inside the room.

 **Astrid: I'm having a hard time finding anything cool in all of this.**

 **[Hiccup catches Astrid's arm]**

 **Hiccup: Look, obviously, I can't even imagine what this might be like for you. You're... Well, you're Astrid. You're strong and invincible.**

Hiccup was hoping that these words would make Astrid happier, but she ignored his gaze. Haddock could only sigh.

 **Astrid: Not anymore. What if this is it, Hiccup? What if the rest of my life is like this. What then?**

 **Hiccup: Then we'll deal with it. Just because you can't see doesn't mean you're helpless.**

 **Astrid: But that's exactly how I feel.**

 **Hiccup: Astrid, you and I have been through everything together. You don't think we can handle this? Astrid, you have me, no matter what. Okay, whatever that means, whatever you want it to mean. I am with you. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid. Always.**

 **[Hiccup took her hand while speaking. Toothless looked at them as if knowing something was going on.]**

The Berkians may have seen that Astrid and Hiccup were not talking now, but they could not contain their "Awws" and "Wows". Everyone was shouting:

"I wish my husband was THAT romantic when we first met!"

"If I had half of what the Haddock boy has, I would have a beautiful wife! Not that there is something wrong with you, darling...ow!"

"That is so sweet."

"So romantic!"

Stoick was grinning madly. Gobber was guffawing at his friend's expression. Inside, however, he was also happy to see his apprentice do well on this front.

Hiccup sadly smiled at the screen. He heard what people said, yet felt empty. Astrid wanted nothing to do with him. And he probably deserved it. He did playfully nudge Toothless and ask:

"What was that face you were giving, bud?"

The Night Fury would only shake his head towards the girl, as if telling Hiccup to go to her.

"No, bud, Astrid hates me. I am afraid that's it."

Unbeknownst to him, Astrid saw what was going on and heard what the boy said perfectly. Her heart tightened inside and she felt overwhelming emotion- guilt. She knew that she was rash, angry and unjust. And most importantly she knew that she got so worked up not because she felt she was right, but because she tried to protect herself from that warm feeling. Yet, she longed horribly for it now. But could she just go back there now? Most probably not. End of the line for her and Hiccup.

 **[Hiccup was leaning to kiss Astrid when a sound came]**

Groans could be heard. Stoick looked disappointed. So did the couple in question, though they tried to hide it.

 **Astrid: Do you hear that?**

 **[Toothless shakes his head unhappily]**

"You too, bud?"-Hiccup asked, laughing. Toothless only nodded vigorously, his eyes wide. Some vikings laughed at the dragon's expression.

Stoick smiled at the dragon. They both wanted the same thing! For Hiccup to be happy! He started liking the black dragon more and more.

 **Hiccup: I didn't hear anything.**

 **Astrid: There it is again. Behind you.**

 **Hiccup: Okay, this guy has got to go. Now.**

"So Hiccup, are you disappointed because that dragon is annoying you?"-Ruff asked.

"Or because he stopped you from kissing the love of your life?"-Tuff added.

Hiccup could only blush. Astrid looked embarrassed too.

 **Hiccup: Toothless, distress call!**

 **Tuffnut: Oh, great. Hiccup's in trouble, and Meatlug has have the quarry to eat.**

 **Ruffnut: Nice going. You know how she feels about her weight!**

 **[Meatlug flies and grabs the twins]**

 **Tuffnut: Yeah!**

"Cool! Fishlegs, our dragon may be cool, but we like Meatlug too!"-Tuff said. Fishlegs could only nod and smile before looking back with a loving expression to his Gronckle. The said dragon tried to smile which Fishlegs took ecstatically.

 **Snotlout: All right. That's it, you two. Playtime in the sand is over. Snotlout! Snotlout! Ow, ow, ow.**

People were laughing at how Snotlout's usual phrase changed. The teen looked a bit embarrassed but tried to hide it.

 **Fishlegs: Huh. Stop! All right, Hookfang, let's get something straight. I may not be Snotlout but I am a Dragon Rider. And, as such, I deserve the respect of a Dragon Rider. Are we clear?**

"Ooh, bossy!"-Ruff cackled. Fishlegs looked both embarrassed and proud. His parents certainly looked the latter. Their boy has matured!

 **Hiccup: Ugh.**

 **Ruffnut: Man, those guys are getting their buts kicked down there.**

 **Snotlout: Where's Fishface?**

 **Tuffnut: I haven't got a clue.**

 **Snotlout: Yeah, I know. But where's Fishface?**

 **Ruffnut: You really think this is the time for your stupid jokes, Snotlout? Give us our dragon back.**

Twins continuing being serious was now creeping everyone out, even the twins. Their parents though looked happy. They knew their children were still Loki's children, but at least they had some of Thor's maturity. And that was enough for the desperate parents.

 **Snotlout: Hey, what am I supposed to do? Whoa! Hookfang! Great. Just perfect.**

 **[Astrid is trying to listen to the unknown sound]**

Vikings looked interested at what was making that sound. Could it help the teenagers?

 **Snotlout: Astrid! Thank Thor. All I could think about was...**

 **Astrid: Do you guys here that? It's that same sound before every attack.**

 **Snotlout: Uh, what is she talking about?**

 **Hiccup: Uh, guys, a little help over here would be nice. We need to surround it. It can't hit us all at once.**

 **Snotlout: Coming in hot, blowing out snot!**

 **Astrid: Stormfly! Come! Now!**

Hiccup was worried about Astrid since he knew her idea was most likely crazy. Then again, he liked crazy.

 **Snotlout: Ha! Meatlug! Aah! This is getting old.**

Cue the laughs. However, Snotlout, used to being embarrassed throughout the whole screening, laughed heartily. If he was getting pounced in the future, did not mean he can not laugh now, did it?

 **Tuffnut: Did you see that?**

 **Ruffnut: He totally stuck the landing!**

"Seriously, puns?"-Heather asked. Twins could only shrug.

"I personally prefer sarcasm."-Hiccup said and Heather nodded.

 **Hiccup: Okay, bud, I guess it's...**

 **Astrid: Stormfly, Spine Shots!**

 **Hiccup: What?**

 **Tuffnut: Hey, when did she get her sight back?**

Eye rolls, even from some dragons. Toothless could only snort.

 **Hiccup: Uh, she didn't. Astrid, what are you doing?**

 **Astrid: I got this, Hiccup. I've been listening to you guys get your butts kicked and I'm sick of it. Besides, I have this dragon figured out.**

 **Astrid: Again, Stormfly!**

 **[Astrid grabs a couple of spines]**

 **Hiccup: Astrid, no! Get out of there!**

 **Astrid: Quiet, Hiccup. I'm dealing with it. That's it.**

 **[Astrid knocks the spines together to create a similar sound. Triple Stryke is confused.]**

People finally realized her plan and looked with amazement at the Hofferson girl. The parents could only look proud of their daughter, their anger at her earlier actions forgotten for now. Astrid also looked happy, though the smile on her face wasn't reaching her eyes.

There was another nagging worry for the Vikings, though. If Astrid so well now, then it was very much possible she was permanently blind. Or at least have some vision return, but not full.

 **Hiccup: She's using the clicks to distract it.**

 **[Astrid gets close to the dragon before extending her arm. Triple Stryke touches it with his snout]**

Applause came from everyone in the room. Vikings were on the feet, congratulating Astrid on an amazing achievement. Stoick even looked at her parents with a look that said 'You taught her well'. Dragons were also impressed. A blind Viking got to tame someone like Triple Stryke? Incredible.

Astrid was thankful for the appreciation but tried to see what the person she cared about was doing. Hiccup was, to her incredible disappointment, not even looking at her. She probably deserved it. But she did not want that to continue. So she pushed through the crowd to sit with Hiccup. The boy looked surprised at her, before smiling. Astrid decided not to let the feeling go away this time though. So she hugged him, nearly crushing the boy in the process.

Hiccup was shocked at first, but got over it to hug her back. He could see Gobber smiling at him, and his father...winking? 'Okay, that is weird. Or does he like seeing me...and Astrid, together?'-Hiccup grinned at his father and Stoick felt a mountain fall of his shoulders.

Hiccup also caught the look of Astrid's parents. He got worried they would tell him to stay away from her, but they only nodded and smiled. Hiccup was gonna faint from excitement and happiness soon.

Finally everyone calmed down, Stormfly returned as well, and the screening continued.

 **Hiccup: And that's how we get close enough to train it.**

 **Snotlout: Amazing.**

 **Tuffnut: Hey, I think Astrid just stoled you move.**

 **Hiccup: It's not my move, Tuffnut.**

 **Tuffnut: Wait, so anyone can use it? Why didn't you tell us that?**

 **[Tuffnut puts his hand on Ruffnut's helmet]**

And here are the twins everyone was used to. Some things never change.

 **Ruffnut: How'd she do that? She can't see a thing.**

 **Hiccup: She doesn't need to. She's using her other senses. Hearing, touch, smell. Following her gut.**

 **Astrid: Speaking of which, I'm sensing something big and out of control heading for us.**

 **Fishlegs: No! This is not respect!**

 **Snotlout: Welcome to my world, Fishface.**

Now everyone laughed not at Snotlout, but with him, his peers the hardest. He enjoyed seeing his...friends so happy. True, now Fishlegs was the only one he could call friend. But in the future it looked like they were all pretty close. Maybe even that dark-haired girl.

 **[Gothi unwraps the bandages around Astrid eyes. Her vision clears]**

Everyone was cheering, dragons as well. She was back! Hiccup surprised himself by hugging her first this time. Then again, he got so worried over her. Astrid smiled and hugged back.

 **Hiccup: Astrid, are you...**

 **Astrid: Looking at you? Seems like it.**

 **Hiccup: Thank you, Gothi.**

 **[Astrid and Hiccup hug]**

 **Tuffnut: This is awesome. Can you imagine what we could do to Snotlout when we get this thing trained? The possibilities are endless!**

"Hey! I will have you know, my dragon is the Monstrous Nightmare!"-Snotlout exclaimed, though he was laughing alongside the rest of the teens.

 **Fishlegs: Yeah, I don't think that's what Hiccup and Astrid had in mind when they asked us to start its training.**

 **Ruffnut: Pfft. Well, who's gonna tell them? I'm not. Are you?**

 **Tuffnut: Nope.**

"Ironically, you DID."-Hiccup said, and brought another hearty laughter from the Vikings. They were too numb from happiness now.

 _A certain demon wickedly smiled, knowing that it was time._

 **Hiccup: Are you sure you're feeling okay?**

 **Astrid: I'm fine, Hiccup. You can stop worrying about me now.**

 **Hiccup: I never stop worrying about you. That's just the way it is.**

People were hungrily looking at the scene and cooing at the couple's interaction.

Stoick was probably jumping inside. He looked like an overexcited dog to his amused friend.

 **Astrid: Yeah, yeah. I guess that goes for me, too.**

 **[Hiccup gets closer to Astrid and she nudges him playfully]**

 **Hiccup: Hey.**

 **Astrid: Can I ask you something?**

 **Hiccup: Sure.**

 **Astrid: Um... Back in the forest, when we were... Well, you know.**

 **Hiccup: Yeah?**

 **Astrid: Were you about to...**

 **Hiccup: Oh, uh... So you felt that, huh? I felt like maybe I got away with it.**

Some vikings were chuckling at the boy's stuttering. Astrid found it cute. Haddock's face was on fire- something Heather noticed. She giggled and Hiccup huffed good-naturedly.

 **Astrid: Well, why didn't you?**

 **Hiccup: Oh... Oh. Well, I... It wasn't perfect. And I always thought that if it ever happened, uh... And yes, I've though about it a lot. Uh, it had to be just perfect.**

"So you think about kissing me, dragon boy? A lot?"-Astrid asked with a smirk. Hiccup could only gulp.

 **Astrid: Well, this seems pretty perfect to me.**

 **Hiccup: Yeah? Yeah, I guess it does.**

 **[Hiccup and Astrid kiss before turning towards sunset and putting hands over each other shoulders']**

Astrid promised not to blush but she forgot in in an instant. Hiccup was not moving an inch, much to Heather's amusement. He looked like his brain got short-circuited. Everyone else around them was cheering and clapping. Even an odd wolf-whistle could be heard. Toothless was continuing to nod his head towards Astrid, as if telling him to...no,no,no,no!

Astrid managed to control herself and said to Hiccup:

"Let's see what else happens in the future, alright?"-Hiccup took it as a promise to the better future so he smiled enthusiastically. Others were disappointed not to see any fireworks now. Stoick promised himself not to leave this room without making those two muttonheads kiss each other.

"Looks like they did not need your help, Stoick."-Gobber said.

"Of course, he learnt it from me."

"Not quite how I remember it. Were you not the one asking Spitelout or me to talk Valka instead of you?"

Stoick ignored it and started looking for other available seats.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you liked it! Hiccstrid was here! Now, I put it here because you won't be getting much of it in the future chapters. Yep, I can hear your groans all the way here. But this is not a full Hiccstrid story (even though I love this relationship). It is about everyone in HTTYD which is why RTTE S4 E12-13 won't be here. That and because some AC there are not known yet so I can't just put the conclusion without giving the start. And Stoick shipping Hiccstrid was funny. I always thought he liked Astrid so no surprise here. Plus, I feel when he was younger he had a softer side to him. Valka's loss hardened him which affected his relationship with Hiccup. Anyway, enough for now. Next scene is AC discussing the episode. It won't be long, but I don't want them to miss on the action.**

Viggo could not believe it! They just captured that dragon! How did it end up with those teenagers? He was not looking happy in the least. They were definitely at odds in the future.

Ryker was scowling even more for he was the one who captured that beast. And he got a scar out of it. So to see that monster free made his blood boil:

"That is our dragon! What is it doing with those pipsqueaks?"

Mala could not stop Thork:

"Those pipsqueaks, as you called them, freed the dragon from your clutches. Not that competent, are you?"

Ryker growled and was about to jump when Viggo stopped him. He looked at his brother with the unnerving gaze and the older brother calmed down somewhat. Thork was still high on his kill list though. The feeling was mutual.

While Mala was scolding her right hand for being so careless, trader Johann was still in bliss. The romance in the shown future was amazing! He rarely saw such strong love and he was very happy for both teenagers. He was hoping that they would never get separated. Otherwise his poor heart wouldn't be able to handle it.

Alvin and Savage were thinking about the dragon and the way the girl trained it more than the romance.

"Using sound, eh? Well, me men better try something like that. It would be much better if we had the boy. Or the girl. Cause if we have one, we will have the other!"

Savage nodded.

Dagur, surprsingly to himself, found out that he...liked that dragon. 'I mean, it is awesome! That tail, that movement! Not quite the Skrill, but still! Wonder whether my brother would lend it to me in the future.'

* * *

The demon decided to stop the distractions and go back to HTTYD2. So he stated to both rooms:

"Now that you are all sappy, we can get back to the real fun!"

Some found what he said a bit unnerving and daunting. It sounded like the 'future' future would be gloomier than they thought.

Still, there was nothing they could do as they settled down and hoped for the best.

 **And done. Apologies for not giving detailed and long reactions from AC but they are not exactly overly important and I wanted to conserve the energy for the next chapter when we return to HTTYD2 and NTW can watch again. Next chapter should be a part of the movie till they leave. That is, if the chapter doesn't go out of hand. I am 4-6k guy, after all.**

 **Who could have thought Stoick ships Hiccstrid, eh? I also showed a bit of teens bonding, and their parents got their time here as well. It is frustrating that we don't even know what they look like! Hopefully RTTE S5-6 rectify that. And speaking of RTTE, anyone still biting their nails, waiting for Netflix to tell us the release date? Yep, lost all my nails and fingers here.**

 **Regarding the relationships, Stoick/Hiccup relationships is slowly being MENDED, though not completely. Next chapter should finish the job. Stoick/Toothless relationship is BORN. Hiccup/Astrid was MENDED and is now looking good, eh? Snotlout/teens also slowly on the rise. The twins astounding everyone is also part of the changing relations towards the Thurston siblings. Ryker/Thork BROKEN, and I am still considering them having a fight.**

 **So, about Hiccstrid in more detail: how was it? I like Heather a lot, but having watched RTTE feel that their bond is that of siblings. Now those who watched RTTE from start to finish know what episode I am referencing. You may see a bit of Hiccstrid in the future chapter but it will be minimal. I satisfied the masses, now time for niches to enjoy something too.**

 **Oh, and regarding mellie's influence. Originally there was supposed to be a stronger Hiccstrid scene. No kisses were there, but they were supposed to snuggle and all that. After talking to mellie, though, I restrained Hiccstrid somewhat. So you can thank (or probably kill) mellie. Continue reviewing and who knows? Maybe you will change the story!**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**


	8. Madness Is Dangerous

**Did you miss me? I bet you didn't. Anyway, this chapter will be about HTTYD2 part which is something to get you very excited. Hopefully. We will see how far it goes before I call it quits.**

 **I also want to thank you for being there for my story. It is already the most famous among all my attempts. Admittedly, others were simply not up to the standard, but they were used as a way to shake off my rustiness in writing. Thankfully, I feel stronger now and hopefully you are enjoying what I am giving you. If not...THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, READING CHAPTER 8? Just kidding, keep reading.**

 **Now, regarding updates. Having released Ch7 on Tuesday, I initially did not receive a lot of reaction which scuppered my motivation to write somewhat. That coupled with the fact I was busy made it impossible to write Ch9. Thankfully I received your positive feedback later so I am thankful! I am almost done with Ch9 and you will definitely get it very soon. However, I am 90% sure it won't be next Tuesday. I will be free much more next week but I don't know whether I will be able to complete Ch9, start &finish Ch10 and even go to Ch11. You will get Ch9 next Saturday for sure though. I will also tell you in advance whether i am unavailable for new updates. So better prepare your calendars for July 22! **

**Also, still waiting any requests. "Zippleback Experience" has been considered. I can not put it in the near future because we have Ryker, Dagur and Heather there and we need to get to them first.**

 **Additionally, I am thinking of forsaking first 2 seasons and go to RTTE. Maybe Heather episodes but that is about it. I may put the last episodes of S2 too, though. Who knows.**

 **And lastly, disclaimers. Getting tired of them.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

 **If someone tells me that is not enough of disclaimers, I am gonna strangle that person. Just a good-natured warning. Enjoy.**

Everyone was impatiently waiting for the restart of 'future' future. Finally the screen turned on.

 _[ **They fly towards it to investigate it. They fly through the burnt forest until they reach the ocean and see a large and piercing structure of ice, with large protruding spiky icicles.]**_

What happened? Why was the forest all burnt? Vikings were getting anxious. Even dragons looked a bit worried.

When everyone saw the ice structure, they gasped. They have never seen anything like it! What, or who, made that? This was definitely worrisome.

The dragons, however, had some idea who it was. None of them have met Alpha, but they were excited to see it now.

 **Hiccup: _(To Astrid)_ Stay close.**

 ** _[They fly around the ice, looking at all the ruined things caught in it, including ships, boats, and the remains of a wooden fort.]_**

 **Hiccup: What happened here?**

 ** _[Toothless makes a stressed sound, and finds a pair of enormous footprints in the mud.]_**

That...thing, whatever it was, was huge! Even the Night Fury looked nervous!

 **Hiccup: Easy, bud.**

 **Astrid: Hiccup!**

 **Eret: Fire!**

 **Hiccup: Astrid! Look out!**

 ** _[A net its thrown at Toothless but catches Stormfly instead]_**

 **Astrid: HICCUP!**

"Our girl!"-Hoffersons screamed, worried sick for their daughter.

 ** _[She slips from Stormfly and falls towards the ground. Toothless catches her]_**

"Thank you, Hiccup, again." Mr. Hofferson said, almost whispering. Mrs. Hofferson did not have enough strength to say anything.

"Of course, Mr.&Mrs. Hofferson."-Hiccup said, before turning towards Astrid-"You really do enjoy falling off Stormfly, don't you?"

Astrid could only roll his eyes at his joke. Hiccup did notice the ends of her lips quirk upwards.

 ** _[Dragon hunters try to trap Stormfly. She escapes the net and throws spikes.]_**

 **Eret: Watch the tail! Tie those legs up!**

 ** _[Toothless flies past, and Eret looks at him in wonder]_**

 **Eret: Is that what I think it is?**

 **Hiccup: STOP!**

 **Teeny: Get out of the way!**

 **Astrid: STORMFLY!**

 **Ug: Whoa, watch out!**

 ** _[Toothless, Hiccup and Astrid land]_**

 **Astrid: What are you doing?**

 ** _[Hiccup opens Inferno, while Astrid grabs a stick]_**

Wow! Now a blazing sword! What Hiccup DIDN'T invent? Stoick looked proud while Gobber was admiring the handiwork and the precision of the blade.

The dragons felt respect towards the boy in the future. He definitely knew what he was doing.

 **Eret: Back again? Soil my britches... that _is_ a Night Fury. Thought they were all gone for good. Looks like our luck's had a turn for the better, lads! Don't think Drago has one of _those_ in his dragon army.**

'Dragon army?'-Berkians started getting nervous. It was hard enough to fight a few dragons during the raid, what about the entire army?!

Stoick, however, did not hear that part. He was too shocked to hear the name 'Drago' come up here. He prayed to all Gods it was not who he thought it was.

 **Astrid: Dragon army?**

 **Hiccup: Look, we don't want any trouble.**

 **Eret: Ha! You should've thought of that before you stole all of our dragons and blasted our fort to bits!**

 **Teeny:Yeah, look at it!**

 **Hiccup: Wait...**

 **Astrid: What are you _talking_ about?**

 **Hiccup: You think _we_ did this?**

 **Eret: Dragon trapping is hard enough work as it is, without do-gooder dragon riders sneaking in to rescue them.**

 **Hiccup: What do-gooder- there are other dragon riders?**

Everyone was silently watching this scene unfold, whispering to each other.

 **Eret: You mean, other than your thieving friend from last night? You tell me. You may have an ice-spitting dragon on your side, but we still have a quota to fill. How do you suppose we explain this mess to Drago Bludvist?**

No one took a notice of the name, except for Stoick. His worst fears were confirmed. The madman is back and now he has a dragon army! He just hoped the village, with their new...inhabitants, would be ready for war.

 **Hiccup: Drago _what-fist_? Does _anything_ you say make sense?**

 **Teeny: He's expecting a new shipment of dragons for his army by tomorrow.**

 **No-Name: And Drago don't take well to excuses.**

 **Eret: _This_ is what he gave me last time I showed up empty-handed.**

 ** _[Shows a scar on his shoulder from under his shirt]_**

Now, Vikings may love scars, but that was horrible. Earning a scar in the battle would earn you glory, but being branded, by your leader, no less, is wrong.

 **Eret: He promised to be far less understanding in the future.**

 **Hiccup: Look, we don't know anything about a dragon thief, or an ice-spitting dragon,**

 ** _[Eret nods to his men hidden behind Hiccup and Astrid]_**

"Get out of there, son!"-Stoick said, above all the whisperings that were still going on.

Hiccup just hoped that Astrid would be safe.

 **Hiccup: Or your lunatic boss and his dragon army, okay? Just give us back our dragon and we'll go, Strange-Hostile-Person-Whom-We've-Never-Met.**

A few Vikings weakly laughed, amused to see that this part of Hiccup remained throughout the years. Others were still too worried to care.

 **Eret: Oh, where are my manners? I'm Eret. Son of Eret.**

 **[He takes out his knife]**

 **Eret: Finest dragon trapper alive. After all, it's not just anyone who can capture a Night Fury.**

 ** _[Toothless growls]_**

 **Hiccup: And this is Toothless. He says we're going. Now.**

Fishlegs couldn't help but feel respect towards Hiccup and his ability to stay cool-headed in the face of danger. If it was him, they would have already been captured!

 **Eret: _[Laughs]_ Heh. They all say that. RUSH 'EM, LADS!**

 ** _[The hidden dragon trappers attack. Toothless fires at a large icicle that falls on the dragon trappers and keeps them back. They shout and jump away.]_**

"Attaboy, Toothless!"-Hiccup said, and muzzled the Night Fury's snout.

Stoick was happy to see that the dragon was protecting his boy.

 **Ug: Oh, Watch out!**

 ** _[Hiccup pulls out Inferno and cuts the net off of Stormfly.]_**

 **Astrid: Stormfly! C'mon, go! Go!**

 ** _[Astrid barely manages to escape on Stormfly, with Toothless and Hiccup following ]_**

 **Eret: YOU WILL _NEVER_ HOLD ON TO THOSE DRAGONS, YOU HEAR ME?! DRAGO IS COMING FOR THEM ALL!**

Even though they won, the atmosphere in the room was still a bit tense. This Drago guy sounded like a real piece of work. Dragon army with a madman in charge of it? No good.

 ** _[Scene changes to Berk. The rest of the teens are flying around.]_**

 **Fishlegs: Come on, Meatlug! Woohoo!**

 **Ruffnut: Yahoo!**

 ** _[Snotlout flies near Gothi's hut, scaring her Terrible Terrors. Once they land he flies past again.]_**

 ** _[Gothi grunts and shakes her fist at them]_**

Gothi looked a bit pleased that she was still there, 5 years later. She was not worried about her health, rather than the teens who would often prank her. Those stupid twins and annoying son of Spitelout were a real menace to deal with. And she had a few Terrible Terrors with her as well!

This scene also helped most of the Vikings forget what happened before, and hope something good would happen. Plus, they might see themselves there!

 **Snotlout: Ha-ha.**

 **Stoick: _(To villager)_ Hey, how are you?**

 **Stoick: _(To another villager)_ Beautiful day.**

 **Stoick: _[To Spitelout]_ Hello, Spitelout, great game today.**

"What happened, Spitelout?"-Gobber asked, and Spitelout inwardly groaned, knowing nothing good was coming out of the blacksmith's mouth-"Disappointed to see your clan lose? Again?"

While Spitelout decided not to answer, Snotlout looked a bit downcast. After all, he lost the race. And even if he did not want to listen to his father anymore, his dad still taught him everything he knows. He hoped to repay him somehow.

 ** _[Stoick nearly bumps into another villager]_**

 **Stoick: Oh, sorry, Mrs. Ack.**

 ** _[Gobber, with a mask, is at his smithy doing dentist work on a Zippleback]_**

"Cool mask, Gobber!"-Hiccup said, enthusiastically. Gobber chuckled.

"Aye, laddie, it fits me well."

"And a dentist as well?"

"Well, you know me, I am man of many trades".

 **Stoick: _(To Gobber)_ Any sign of him?**

 **Gobber: Ah, he's probably flown off the edge of the world by now.**

While everyone knew that wasn't the truth, it still meant that Hiccup was a traveller. He did not want to settle down like others did. And while they liked their old ways more, many Vikings also realized that new ways, like living with dragons, also worked well. After all, Gobber of all people was fine with dragons! Working on their teeth!

 **Gobber: You sure you want that kid running the village? You can still delay your retirement.**

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Gobber."-Hiccup rolled his eyes.

Stoick also looked peeved at what his friend said. Blacksmith could only grin sheepishly at his somewhat poor choice of words. If he was asked about present Hiccup to be a Chief, these words would make total sense. But in 5 years time Hiccup looked and acted like a leader. So maybe not such a good phrasing from him.

 **Stoick: Oh, he's ready. You'll see.**

"Thanks, Dad."-Hiccup said, smiling. He was happy! His dad believed in him! To become a Chief! And a good one at that! They did not get to talk since they had an argument during intermission, but he felt that things were patched up now. Who knows, maybe after watching some parts of the future, his father would be more inclined to believe Toothless is harmless.

Stoick only nodded, seeing Hiccup offer him a genuine smile. Maybe Hiccup will forgive him for the argument. He then looked at the dragon, who stared at the Chief with his green eyes.

'Like Hiccup...and Valka.'-Stoick thought.

 ** _[Hiccup and Astrid arrive on their dragons]_**

 **Stoick: Haha! There he is! _(To Gobber, proving his point)_ Huh? The pride of Berk!**

 **Gobber: Who finally decided to show up for work. Yay.**

 **[Gobber swings a hammer at Hiccup]**

Vikings laughed at the exchange. They knew that both of them were the most sarcastic people on Berk, and that must have resulted in many funny and interesting interactions between the two, over the years.

Blacksmith was secretly happy to see that they were still the same, even after 5 years. And Hiccup was still working in the smithy! Hiccup may not be a perfect Viking (at least now) but he was the best apprentice he ever had. And looking at some of the inventions of his, like flying suit, prosthetic tailfin, and a flaming sword, he knew that Hiccup became better than himself. Student getting better than master. Gobber was proud.

Hiccup was also in a good mood. He was desperate to try out flying and exploring the world, sure! But right now the only place that accepted him fully is the smithy. Sure, Gobber is not overly enthusiastic with his inventions, but he is also his strongest support in Berk. He even knew that he had a crush on Astrid! And wanted them to be together! He remembered the day when Astrid came to fix her axe and Gobber, despite being free, tried to find something to do, so that his apprentice would get a chance with his crush. The axe was perfect according to the Hofferson girl, and Hiccup could not wipe a grin off his face for several days!

 _ **(A/N: This is the deleted scene from the movie. If you want, watch it on YouTube. If you want, I can also put it in here.)**_

 **Hiccup: Sorry. Got held up.**

'Another sarcastic response, from Hiccup'-Heather mused. He definitely had the hang of it. The blacksmith wasn't too bad at it either.

As for Drago guy, Heather couldn't help but worry about her new friends. Sure, future Hiccup looked like he knew what he was doing, but a dragon army is hard to fight against, even if you have a Night Fury by your side! The dragon was adorable though. She petted the Night Fury a bit, and the dragon cooed in pleasure. Looked like the dragon took liking to the raven-haired girl too.

 **Hiccup: Hey, Dad, could I have a word?**

 **Stoick: Something you're itching to tell me?**

 **Hiccup: Not quite the itch you're thinking of, but yes.**

 **Stoick: Good man! Now, lesson one. A chief's first duty is to his people. So... _(Calling out to villagers waiting for their saddles to be made)_ Forty-one?**

Now Berkians were looking with utmost interest. What were these numbers? Who was Forty-one?

 **Stoick: Forty-**

 **Hiccup: Could we just talk in private for-**

 **Starkard: That's me! That's me! I'm next! I was ahead of you!**

"I am here! And I am forty-one!"-Stankard yelled, happy to see himself on the big screen.

 **Hiccup: If we could just talk-**

Hiccup sighed. This part hasn't changed at all. He would try to talk, but his father would never listen. Astrid just put a hand on his shoulder in a way of support, and Hiccup appreciated it. But he was still a bit downcast.

Stoick noticed his son's change of mood and frowned. Admittedly, most of Hiccup's ideas were...strange, to say the least. But now his son was trying to warn him about Drago Bludvist and he was ignoring him?! He promised to apologize to Hiccup and try to listen more to his son. It was time to be a better father.

 **Starkard: Excuse me, I've been here all day! Okay, I want one of those high seaters, with lots of spikes and big stowage compartment.**

"Sounds cool!"

"Wicked"

"Hey Gobber, do you think you could make us a saddle like that?"-twins asked the blacksmith. Gobber knew that if he did, there would be trouble, but said sarcastically:

"Sure, why not? It is not like you will destroy the village with it."-the tone of the reply was lost on the twins though.

 **Stoick: Absolutely! You got it, sir!**

 **Hiccup: Dad, this is actually a little more important than building saddles.**

 **Stoick: Ah-ah! Lesson two. No task is too small when it comes to serving your people.**

While Stoick agreed with himself regarding lesson 2, he was still unhappy about how clueless he was regarding his son. Was he that bad now? He sent a quick look at Gobber and the blacksmith understood what he was silently asking. So the one-legged man decided to be honest and solemnly nod. Stoick just pushed himself back in frustration.

 **Hiccup: Dad.**

 **Stoick: Oh, excuse us, Grump.**

 **Hiccup: Look can we just talk?**

 **Gobber: Grump! You let the forge die down again!**

"I have a dragon?"-Gobber asked, too surprised to say anything else.

"And he is an unknown dragon! Ooooohhhh!"-Fishlegs screamed in delight, before clearing his throat. The teens laughed, but good-naturedly. Fishlegs, worried at first he was being made fun of, realized that his peers were just amused by his love for knowledge and was thankful that he had friends. Even the new girl. He smiled, content.

 ** _[Grump lights the blacksmith on fire. Hiccup screams and Gobber groans before pouring water onto the fire.]_**

 **Gobber: That's it, Grump. You're going up for adoption!**

Some vikings laughed at his words. Dragons, for adoption? Never had they expected to hear these words, and from one of their own!

 **Stoick: One of these. And this...**

 **Hiccup: DAD-**

 **Stoick: There you go! Go on. Have away.**

 **Hiccup: But, seriously, I really need to tell you about this _new land_ we came across.**

 **Gobber: _Another_ one?! **

**Fishlegs: Any new dragons?**

The teens rolled their eyes at Fishlegs. He has not changed at all in the future.

His parents looked pretty happy to see that their son was so interested in discovering and knowledge.

 **Hiccup: We didn't stick around to find out. These folks weren't particularly friendly.**

 **Gobber: Oh, really? Your Night Fury and Deadly Nadder didn't bring them cheering to the rooftops?**

Everyone laughed at the sarcastic remark. Hiccup gave his master a smile and the blacksmith was only happy to return it. Stoick felt a bit envious as to how Gobber could, and would, listen to Hiccup, while he himself couldn't (and wouldn't).

 **Hiccup: No, this was different. Not the standard run-for-the hills hoo-ha I've come to enjoy. These guys were trappers. _Dragon_ trappers.**

 **Astrid: You should've seen their fort. All blown apart and stuck in giant spikes of ice. It was _weird_. **

**Hiccup: I've never seen anything like it. And worst of all, they thought we did it!**

 **Gobber: Y'know, you two are gonna get yourselves in SERIOUS trouble one of these days. Not everyone appreciates this way of life.**

 **[Gobber put a** **hairbrush as an arm and starts brushing his facial hair.]**

"That was...weird. Even for you, Gobber."-Hiccup said. The smith only laughed. He did like the idea though. Maybe he should try after they are done here.

 **Stoick: Gobber's right, son. Best we keep to our own. _[Turns on mechanical saw]_ Besides, you'll have more important uses for your time. Once we make the big announcement! **

**Hiccup: _[Turns off saw]_ They are building a dragon army. Or at least the guy they work for is. Ah, "Dargo Bloody Fist" or something.**

 **[Stoick has a look of realization on his face]**

"You know him, dad?"-Hiccup asked, as everyone was suddenly eerily quiet, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, son, and he is not someone you want to deal with."

This only frightened Berkians because their Chief was rarely afraid of someone and this Drago man sounded dangerous.

 **Tuffnut: I'll bloody _his_ fist with my _face_ if he tries to take my dragon!**

No words were needed as the teens either rolled their eyes (Snotlout, Fishlegs) or facepalmed (Hiccup, Astrid and Heather).

 **Ruffnut: Or mine!**

 **Tuffnut: You're such a moron.**

 **Fishlegs: A beautiful moron.**

 **Snotlout: Yeah...**

 ** _[Ruffnut groans in disgust]_**

The teens, despite being slightly worried about Drago (who could scare their Chief?!), were chuckling. At least those not involved in the scene were. Astrid looked like she was just named the Shield Maiden. Her smug grin was directed at Snotlout who only grumbled at her triumphant look. Heather found Fishlegs' ability to turn Tuffnut's insult into a 'compliment' funny and was laughing into her fist. Hiccup was just enjoying the scene in whole. As for the twins, they were oblivious as ever.

 **Stoick: (suddenly serious and alarmed) _Bludvist? Drago Bludvist?_**

 **Hiccup: Uh yeah. Wait. You _know_ him?**

 ** _[Inside the Dragon Hangar]_**

 **Stoick: GROUND ALL DRAGONS!**

Now everyone was shocked. They have seen how their Chief's face changed into one of horrification and that frightened them even more. They faced plenty of threats, including dragons, but Stoick the Vast would always show his bravery and lead his people into the battle. Yet now he was grounding the dragons? What was all that about? They were hoping to find out more about Drago Bludvist soon.

 **Hiccup: What? Why?!**

 **Stoick: SEAL THE GATES! LOWER THE STORM DOORS!**

 **Hiccup: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait! What is happening?**

 **Gobber: You heard the man! Lock it down!**

 **Stoick: No DRAGON or VIKING sets foot off this island until I give the word!**

 **Hiccup: Because some guy you knew is stirring up trouble in some faraway land?**

 **Stoick: Because Drago Bludvist is a madman. Without conscience or mercy. And if he's built a dragon army... Gods help us all.**

Madman without conscience or mercy, leading a dragon army? Chief was right - Gods help them all.

 **Stoick: Get them into their pens!**

 **Hoark: Aye, Stoick!**

 **Stoick: Quickly!**

 **Hiccup: Then let's ride back out there. We'll follow those trappers to Drago and talk some sense into him.**

Hiccup inwardly groaned. Why did his future self think it was such a good idea? Talk to a madman? I mean, sure, he finally realized (along the rest of the village) that dragons are not beasts or monsters but rather intelligent creatures capable of emotions. But to convince a madman? Yep, taking a step too far.

Heather noticed Hiccup was having problems (his face was expressing it clearly) so she whispered:

"Don't worry, Hiccup, I am certain this is not your first bad idea."-at his unimpressed stare, she giggled and added-"But you are making the right choice. You are a peacemaker, or at least will be, by the looks of it. I would be disappointed if you just agreed with your dad so easily."

This comforted Hiccup somewhat, though he was still slightly worried.

 **Stoick: No. We fortify the island.**

 **Hiccup: It's our duty to keep the peace!**

 **Stoick: Peace is over, Hiccup. I must prepare you for war.**

 **Hiccup: _War?_ Dad, if Drago's coming for our dragons, we can't wait around for him to get here. Let's go find him and change his mind.**

 **Stoick: Some minds won't be changed, Hiccup. Berk is what you need to worry about. A chief protects his own.**

There was a murmur of agreement among the Berkians. They found they liked the Hiccup in the future, and were impressed with what he achieved, but Stoick was right - it is a Chief's duty.

Very few actually thought it was a good idea. Heather, Astrid and Fishlegs (and possibly a few adult vikings) agreed with the decision. They all nodded to Hiccup to show their support and Hiccup felt better about this himself. Hopefully nothing bad would happen.

 **Stoick: SECURE THE STABLE! LATCH EVERY STALL!**

 **[Hiccup contemplates and makes a move towards Toothless]**

 **Astrid: Hiccup, don't!**

"Now you can read my mind?"-Hiccup made a weak joke and was rewarded with a laugh from the Hofferson.

 **Hiccup: I have to.**

 ** _[Hiccup kisses Astrid]_**

With romance already seen a lot before, not as many 'aww's were heard as before. Plus Dragon Bludvist was more important to deal with.

Heather looked triumphant, Fishlegs happy for his friends, and twins also looked interested. As for the couple, Astrid had gotten used to seeing the affection shown so she did not say anything. She had to admit she did not mind it all. As for Hiccup, his cheeks were still a bit red, but overall he controlled himself well. Except for a lopsided grin that was there for a second.

Toothless understood that the blonde girl was his rider's mate so he nudged her head at her. She decided to pet him and was rewarded with a look of happiness. When no one was looking, the Night Fury sent a smug look at the boy who looked completely unimpressed by the dragon's antics.

 **Stoick: THIS WAY! QUICKLY!**

 ** _[Hiccup and Toothless blast past, heading for the exit.]_**

 **Stoick: HICCUP!**

 ** _[They try to fly through one door, but it seals shut.]_**

 **Hiccup: Come on!**

 ** _[Toothless spins around and dives through the gap in the second lowering storm door.]_**

 **Stoick: Hiccup!**

"Why am I not surprised?"-Stoick muttered as Gobber patted his hand. Then again, he was not a great father either, so he did not exactly have a right to complain. So he decided to support his son, to build up his confidence. Gods know how much he needed that.

"I understand what you are trying to do, son. You are right, keeping peace is important. I just hope I won't lose you."

Hiccup was stumped to hear such words. He was expecting a breakdown so to hear something else was a pleasant turn of events. And that last part at the end got him.

"Thanks, dad. I think you are right too. Let's hope Drago is a guy who is easily persuaded."

Stoick did not believe but did not want to dissuade Hiccup so he just replied:

"Aye, son, let's hope so."

The Chief wanted to apologize to his son (and dragon, if he must) but wanted to do it in private. He was hoping another break would happen soon.

 ** _[Astrid and Stormfly blow past Stoick and slip through the storm door before it shuts, leaving Stoick fuming.]_**

"So, lass, was it Hiccup who taught you to be reckless or was it the other way around?"-Gobber asked and the Vikings laughed halfheartedly. Astrid replied:

"Hiccup taught me."-very few believed that, of course. Then again, future Hiccup was completely different so that was possible. In the meantime, Hoffersons sent a glare at Hiccup who sheepishly smiled and waved. Astrid looked at her parents and nodded. That was enough for them to stop.

* * *

 **A/N: So, now we are getting AC reactions towards this part of the movie. Read at your own risk of spoilers. Unless you are a hardcore fan who watched every single episode at least a few times!**

 **Hiccup &Astrid/Eret scene**

The AC may all have had different views on the dragons but they all were worried about Drago Bludvist and his dragon army. Of course, the supporting emotions were quite different.

Queen Mala and Thork looked absolutely furious that a man tried to control dragons, to use them as weapons of war! They did not approve dragon riding (not completely anyway) but they would take this over dragon trapping/hunting any day of the week. Lesser evil, so to speak.

Trader Johann as well as Alvin & Savage were nervous. Johann liked to travel (and tell the stories) and a dragon army, maybe even conquering archipelago, was not good at all. As for the Outcasts, they did not want a madman on their case. Unless, of course, he destroyed Berk. Even then, Alvin wanted to get the revenge on Stoick himself. Not have some Bludvist do it for him! Maybe the dragon army could weaken the Berk somewhat...

Dagur was just enjoying the scene. Why worry when he is not there? Plus, he was too occupied looking at the weapons trappers were using as well as his brother's inventions and a dragon. A Night Fury! He still could not believe it!

Viggo and Ryker were the ones who were clearly unsettled most of all. They sold dragons, it was just business. Nothing personal against the beasts. There was a demand for the creatures, they just provided the supply. But creating a dragon army? Now that was something too unsettling. Did anyone by this name even buy any dragons of theirs? They couldn't recall but using fake names was often the case in the dealings so they weren't sure. It also got them worried even more as to what happened to them.

 **Hiccup/Stoick in the forgery scene**

Dagur was interested to see that his little brother was already becoming a Chief! Well, he did not want it, but still! A Chief! He had to admit, he was impressed by his feats so far, so no surprise that his old man was happy to retire. Now if HIS father was that proud of him... Dagur did not want to think about it. He was just hoping his old man would roll over soon enough. He also found the numbering system ingenious and decided to implement it when he becomes the Chief.

Others had less distinct features. Johann and Alvin look at the Vikings in the background and were happy to see people they know still there. The former did like Berk and they were also great listeners, while the latter was secretly happy to see his former friends and acquaintances. Not that he would tell it to anyone. Mala and Thork looked impressed with the numbering system too. Only the Grimborn brothers did not react much, but they were both still getting over the last scene.

 **Hiccup/Stoick in the stables scene**

The AC were on fences in the father/son argument. Mala, Thork and Johann (and Viggo but he did not voice his opinion out loud) were on Hiccup's side, while Dagur, Alvin, Savage and Ryker were on Stoick's side. An argument broke out:

"Stoick is right. War is inevitable and his boy can do nothing about it!"-Alvin said. Savage just nodded.

"The boy has to try. He has achieved peace with the dragons, after all."-Mala replied. She was still a bit unhappy to see stables for the dragons, as if they were some domesticated animals, but she knew it was better than having them out there, being caught by trappers.

"There will be no more peace, Queen."-Ryker sneered, using her title in a demeaning way-"War is what this Bludvist man wants! What do you say, Viggo?"-he asked his younger brother.

"While I usually have no problem with a little violence, I have to agree with the boy's view"-he said, earning surprised looks from everyone.-"War will bring destruction to archipelago. No matter what we think of dragons"-he glanced at Queen Mala and Thork-"Drago Bludvist is a powerful foe and we all need to hope that Hiccup will be able to stop him before it turns sour."

And with that, conversation was over.

* * *

"Looks like they had enough of watching...for now."-a one-eyed demon pondered. He had to admit, he enjoyed people's reactions. But they would get tired so he had to offer some sleeping accommodations as well as refreshments. Technically, no time has passed, but he had to keep them on their usually schedule and now it was time for them to sleep. With a clap, several rooms were created. Each room had different numbers of bed and each one was separated by curtains. Satisfied with his work, he sighed. He was getting mellow. Caring for humans? How the might have fallen. Still, he had to get used to it.

* * *

"So, are you enjoying it so far? Good, good. I know some of you are getting tired so I have created rooms for you to sleep in. You will wake up, have breakfast, and then continue watching the future."

And with that, several doors appeared, waiting to be opened.

 **A/N: And that is Chapter 8 done! The next chapter will deal with their** **accommodations and they will mostly interact so no reactions next chapter. Still, relationships will be changed, as usual.**

 **In this chapter, we got Stoick/Hiccup relationship mended fully. Of course, a private talk is required (and everything can go haywire there since they don't listen to each other) but I feel they are almost ready.**

 **Fishlegs bonding with others was also important so it was here as well.**

 **Among the AC, I created 2 camps though whether they stay like that or not is still not 100% made up. We will see. Dagur slowly warming up to Hiccup is also paramount.**

 **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions.** **The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

 **As always, take care.**


	9. A Needed Break

**Hello guys and gals. I am back. And a 'relationship' chapter is coming up. No REACTIONS today, just inteRACTIONS! No? I am gonna let myself out. If you are into this though, the chapter is for you.**

 **Also want to say that the initial response to my previous chapter was a bit underwhelming to me. I put the HTTYD2 part back so was expecting some responses and not to see any in the first few days was hard for me to stomach which brought my motivation down. And it was not that I was fishing for reviews/follows/favorites (I appreciate them a lot but I also care about chapter views, and last chapter had the LEAST views than any other! That was unpleasantly surprised). Still, over the week I received some great reviews for which I am thankful. You helped me weather this and as such the chapter's creation is thanks to you.**

 **Regarding some of the reviews, I would like to thank you for telling me that you are enjoying the story cause I enjoy seeing you read it!**

 **To Kelly: Thank you for your suggestions! I will probably take only 4 episodes out of the first 2 seasons, at least for now, but if I feel your suggestions are good, then sure!**

 **To one of the Guests who asked me not to put Heather introduction part: Thank you for voicing your opinion! I really appreciate it! You will understand my reasoning as to why I want them in the story later in the chapter.**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

Sleeping in your own house is easy. You have your own comfortable bed and much-needed privacy. Not so much today.

The demon said that there are several rooms available. Yet the doors hadn't opened and no Viking or Dragon managed to open them. Speaking of Dragons, Stoick told his men and women not to attack dragons under any circumstances. Whether he did it because he tried to fully make up with Hiccup or because he changed his opinions on these creatures did not matter to young Haddock. And, in spite of grumbling, the villagers had to comply. The good thing Hiccup noticed is that over half of the Vikings had no problems being near dragons. Now, touching them was another matter, but it was still a progress. He made his move barely a few hours ago! And Astrid was the only one apart from him to bond with a dragon. Astrid...

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Hiccup approached his father. He could see by looking at Berkians that they were tired and sore so a good night sleep was more important than a talk with his dad. Stoick the Vast may not listen to his son often, but his son definitely does. Whether he likes what he hears or not is another matter. Nevertheless, his father would tell him for a very early age that his people would always come first. And even though he was nothing like what he was supposed to be in the future (not yet, anyway), he was willing to try.

"Aah, son."-Stoick said, a bit stiff. He knew now was not the time to talk-"What do you think about it? We can't get past these damn doors!"

Hiccup looked a bit surprised to see his dad ask him for an opinion, but covered it well.

"Well, dad, I think we can't enter because the doors aren't letting us in."-even though he said it quietly, it was at the moment where everyone was still. Hiccup inwardly groaned, expecting taunts or eye rolls. He didn't get any. Instead, he looked at his father who urged him to continue. A bit more confident, Hiccup added:

"You see, the doors are not open which means we are not allowed to enter. For some reason, we do not fulfill the requirements to enter just yet. All we need to do is find what we haven't done properly and correct it."

Everyone was silent. Hiccup was getting anxious at first but Stoick put a hand on his shoulder and said:

"My boy is right. We need to find out what is wrong."

Vikings, including teens, started muttering to each other. Hiccup looked at dad and Stoick gave him his smile. Hiccup felt a warm grin on his face.

He was brought back down from Valhalla when the teens approached him.

"Hiccup, we have talked about what you just said, and..."-Astrid started.

"...and we think this is all yak dung!"-said the twins.-"So you are right!"

"Anyway"-Astrid continued, glaring at the Thorstons-"Fishlegs had an idea that could work."

At his mention, young Ingerman squeaked a bit but decided to voice the idea of his:

"You see, Hiccup, when we tried to enter the rooms, we did it by ourselves. But what if we could do it side-by-side with dragons?"

"That is...brilliant! Well done, Fishlegs! Now we just need to test it!"-Hiccup exclaimed. He proceeded towards the Night Fury who was still lying in front of the screen, obviously bored.

"Hey bud."-the dragon just ignored him so Hiccup moved closer. The dragon saw Hiccup and had to acknowledge his presence. He grumbled.-"Aren't you excited to see me."-Hiccup deadpanned.

"Come on, bud, we need you."

Toothless could only roll his eyes and pretend to sleep.

"Well thanks for nothing, you useless reptile."

Hiccup was a bit disappointed but he understood the dragon's reluctance. Sure, they are best friends in the future, but not yet. So the dragon had full right not to help him. He still felt a twinge of sadness.

It was gone quickly as he was swept onto something black. He tried to understand what happened when he realized what, or rather who, was the culprit.

"Toothless!"-Hiccup hugged his friend and the Night Fury crooned affectionally. Then the Night Fury sped across the room, getting to the teens. Thankfully no one was in the way.

The teens were still a bit reluctant to get close to the Night Fury, though Astrid was okay with Toothless now.

"Okay guys, let me and Toothless try now. If it works, hooray. If not, we think of something else."

And with those words Hiccup led his dragon friend towards the door. He got as close as possible and waited. And waited some more.

After a minute passed his shoulder sagged. He was disappointed to see this plan failed. Maybe the future was wrong? He was no leader. Just a failure.

Hiccup was brought out of his depressing thoughts by Astrid who laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Hiccup, if this plan hasn't worked, doesn't mean you have to give up! Everyone makes mistakes but only few can learn from them. You are capable of that."-Astrid smiled at the end and received a determined smile in return. Hiccup then noticed something interesting. Toothless was pawing at the center of the door, playing with the light that emanated every time his paw touched that centre.

"Guys! Look!"-he exclaimed to the teens who were obviously surprised to see the door glowing.-"Let me try and touch the door now".

When he did that (alongside Toothless), the glow got brighter. It was not enough to open the door though. Astrid laid a hand on the door as well. She asked Stormfly to use her tail to touch the top of the door. Heather was next.

"Come on guys! What are you waiting for?"-Hiccup asked, clearly eager to see whether this works or not. Twins just exclaimed "cool" and touched the door, fighting along the way. Snotlout looked a bit worried but decided to trust his cousin...this time. Fishlegs was harder to persuade but seeing that his friends are alive and well decided to try as well.

Everyone else was looking by this point at the door the young vikings chose, probably because of the glow that was reflecting everywhere. Then, to everyone's shock the door swung open, with the teens falling in. On top of the door a word was etched: **"Helter"**

In the meantime the teens tried to get up, which was not so easy since Fishlegs was pretty much lying on top of them. Astrid and Hiccup got the worst.

"If you don't get up RIGHT NOW, I am going to kill all of you!"-the Hofferson girl exclaimed angrily, trying to wiggle free.

"It is not our fault Fish here is chubby!"-Snotlout said, forgetting for a moment that they were friends (or maybe he was of a view that friends tease each other a lot).

"My mom says I am husky!"

They eventually managed to get up, with Astrid sending glares towards the rest of the teens (bar Hiccup-he was lighter than she was). They first looked at the interior of the room. There were 5 beds and one bunk bed in the room. By each bed was a drawer with a strange circular device on it. The beds were plain and colorless.

The twins did not have to wait for an invitation. They ran toward the bunk bed as fast as they could, marveling the construction. What happened next was inevitable - a fight over who sleeps at the top. While they were punching each other Hiccup tried to exit the door to see whether they were trapped or not. To his relief, it wasn't. His father was standing close by.

"Hey dad. Looks like we managed to open the door. I am not sure whether you can enter or not, though. I think the room groups us together. Based on what, I don't know."

" **Heroes."** -Stoick whispered. At Hiccup's confused glance, he pointed at the word etched at the top.

"Well, son, I believe we won't be able to enter these doors. We will try the other ones though. Any ideas as to how we could be grouped?"

Hiccup, still mildly surprised to be asked an opinion, said:

"I think you, Gobber and all our parents"-he gestured to the rest of the teens-"should choose one door and try it."

"Okay, son, good. Anyone else?"

"Well, I suppose since the other 3 doors left are bigger that means the rooms are big too. One door would be for dragons. The other 2 for us. So what can we divide people by?"-Hiccup muttered, looking around. His gaze stopped at several dragons who looked bored. An idea struck him like lightning.

"That's it! In one room people who are okay with dragons while in the other room those that still don't like them will go!"

"You hear that, Mildew? Your bed must be assigned by now in the 2nd room!"-Gobber exclaimed and a few Vikings chuckled. Mildew only glowered but said nothing and beckoned his followers to try the 2nd room.

"What are you waiting for? My son showed you how to enter the room. Place hands on the door and it will open when everyone is included!"

Vikings did as they were told and, after some bickering, managed to open both doors. Mildew's men just entered without looking back.

Stoick then nodded at his son with approval and joined Gobber and the teens' parent at trying to open their room. Hiccup, in the meantime, decided to help the dragons. To do that, he needed a certain black lizard.

"Toothless!"

Night Fury did not make him wait.

"Hey, bud. I am not very good at talking to dragons, so could you help your friends out?"-at the mention of 'friends' the Night Fury snorted-"Alright, alright, colleagues?"

Night Fury grumbled a bit but did as he was told. He managed to help the dragons pretty quickly, before getting himself back to his friend.

"You see, bud? I knew you could do it. Now let's see what our friends are up to."

Toothless rolled his eyes but walked with Hiccup.

* * *

What they saw was nothing surprising. Just twins fighting and commenting at the same time, Snotlout claiming his bed is the best, Fishlegs trying to understand what the circular device was and Astrid discussing weapons with Heather. The usual. At least, for the future.

Hiccup decided to approach the last bed remaining. As he got closer, the bed turned red. Initially surprised, he noted that other beds were also different now- Astrid's was blue, Fishlegs' was violet, Heather's was silver, Snotlout's was yellow (he DID NOT look happy in the slightest) and the twins' was green.

Toothless in the meantime went towards a corner of the room where Stormfly was already lying in. The Night Fury hated meeting other dragons, but supposed this Nadder was an exception. The black dragon's opinion on other dragons species was...unflattering. Nightmares too annoying, Gronckles too stupid, Zipplebacks too troublesome and Nadders too vain. But he had to gulp down the prejudice and approach the Nadder.

Stormfly was surprised to see the Night Fury approach her, but supposed since her new friend was close to the Night Fury's one, it was alright. She squawked and laid her head down, trying to look nonchalant. The Night Fury looked a bit offended at such act but decided to let it go this time so just huffed in return. Seemingly pleased with the reaction, Stormfly offered a bit of space to the black dragon, which the latter accepted unenthusiastically.

After a bit of fighting, the twins and Snotlout were already in their beds (Ruff agreed on letting her brother sleep on the top bunk if she could kick him whenever she wanted. And she was doing it all the time now). Astrid was still in deep thought as she was unsure whether to lie down or not. Fishlegs was still trying to get the circular device's use. The only thing he noticed is that it had 2 arrows (one big, another small) that were moving. The bigger one was moving pretty fast while the latter very slow. Fishlegs and Hiccup (the latter also interested in this device) settled on believing that it was some sort of time counter. Happy with their consensus, they wished each other good night and went to sleep, as did everyone else.

* * *

The first thing they heard was an exceptionally annoying (and loud) sound coming from...everywhere. Each one felt that there was one annoying sound that was especially close to them. Snotlout groaned and Tuff fell out of the bed (on top of Ruff who was just trying to stand up, still bleary). Astrid and Heather, however, jumped straight away, looking for their axes. Hiccup managed to find that annoying thing that was making sound and threw it somewhere. By the sounds of it, it hit Snotlout. 'Payback'-Hiccup smiled a bit.

As soon as the 6 teens finally realized what was happening, another door appeared. They mumbled 'good mornings' to no one in particular and decided not to waste time so they all entered it. They were in a room that had sinks on one side and stalls on the other. Having finished everything, including brushing their teeth (toothbrushes were the same color as their respective beds), they saw another set of doors appear in their room. What is it with that demon and the doors! Looking a bit better now the gang decided to enter the new room. Everyone else was already there, grumpy as usual (Vikings and mornings are a bad combination).

In their drowsiness, they haven't noticed a pair of dragons and a certain husky viking still sleeping soundly.

* * *

It should be mentioned that he did not sleep exceptionally well, Viggo. He was up most of the night, thinking and planning for tomorrow's actions. His oaf of a brother was sleeping like there was no tomorrow. As was everyone else. He was not exceptionally comfortable, sleeping with seven other people, but he had to make do.

So sleeping a few hours only left a bit of negative effect on Viggo, and he hid it well. He was the first to jump out of the bed (he also realized what the device was very quick) and even got to perform basic hygiene before anyone else really got up. He could only roll eyes at the sleepyheads. His brother was still snoring. A cannon would not wake him up! Those two vikings (he was looking at Alvin and Savage) were also sleeping away though the device of the bigger Viking was smashed to pieces. 'What a waste.'

Knowing that he will not get any response from the demon just yet, he went to wake up his brother. He needed Ryker on top of the game, after all. The older sibling may not have the brains, but he was capable of getting through to people with carefully placed words (though running them through was preferable).

* * *

Stoick and the company had a relatively quiet night. They talked a bit about their children, a mixture of concern and pride in their voices. Gobber was the only one without any anxiety, but he had no children to worry about! Mind you, Hiccup was like a son to him...

* * *

The Mildew group was highly agitated by the old man, who managed to convince them that the dragons are evil and the devil is just playing tricks on them, that it was just Loki causing mayhem. In fact, he went as far as to state it may be Thor himself trying to see who is loyal to him and who is not. Understandably, convincing Vikings is not that hard. So they were pretty hostile towards anything that was not from Berk. And dragons CERTAINLY did not belong to Berk.

* * *

When the teens entered the dining room, they could see most of the vikings already gobbling down food with no concern whatsoever. Stoick, however, was still waiting for someone and it wasn't hard to guess that person. Sighing, Hiccup separated from the gang to have a talk with his dad.

He sat a seat away from his father, with Gobber in between. The blacksmith was always a mediator between the two **(A/N: Referencing deleted scene)** and a solid communicator and Hiccup was not entirely sure what his dad would do so he decided to use Gobber as a protection of sorts. Thankfully to him, all the other seats nearby were occupied so Hiccup could have an excuse of not having any other place. He just hoped Gobber would not decide to get up to give them some privacy.

"Hey,dad, uh, how was your night?"

"Good, good, yours?"

"Perfect. Ah, the beds were nice."

"That they were."

Seeing how much father and son were struggling to have a conversation, Gobber rolled his eyes and said:

"Look, I know it is hard for both of you to say more than 'hello' to each other, but you should at least try to get better! Why don't you talk about something you all want, rather than talk awkwardly to each other"-he did not notice the glares he received from the Haddocks-"Dragons. I know both of you have, and want, to say something about it. So go on! Hiccup, change the seats with me and let's see how you can actually communicate."

Hiccup grumbled a bit at his master for putting him under fire, but knew that Gobber meant well. So into the fire he went:

"So, dad, would you like to talk about dragons?"

Stoick had some questions for his son so he decided to engage in this conversation:

"Yes, son. Now, I know it is not done yet, but do you have any...abilities, that no one else has? Like some gift from Gods, or some magic inside you?"

Hiccup was a bit offended that his dad did not think it could be him alone to have made peace with dragons, but he did realize that he never showed any skills against dragons before, so he had to live with his father's question.

"No dad, I don't. I think I managed to do...whatever I did in the future, due to some event that happened, will happen, very soon."

"Okay then. Now, about your dragon..."

Hiccup got worried that he could lose Toothless but before he could argue, Stoick stated:

"Never in a million years would I think we would have peace on Berk, with my SON bringing it to us, and taming a Night Fury!"

Even though it was said with pride in his voice, Hiccup wanted to rectify the last part of that statement:

"Thanks,dad, but I did not tame him."-he added, seeing Stoick's questionable look-"I befriended him. He, and dragons in general, look to be intelligent creatures, capable of emotions and feelings."

Stoick was surprised to hear that at first, but then realized that what they have seen so far (at least, if they were to believe that happened-it was still hard to comprehend) has proved his son's claim.

"Alright, Hiccup, I trust you. You have clearly become a great man and capable to be a chief."-Stoick added the last part to seek the response.

Hiccup was mortified. Him, a Chief? Mind you, he did not think Snotlout would be a better candidate, but his cousin had everything that a Viking would want, while Hiccup was, well, hiccup. Now someone like Astrid would be the perfect Chief. The Astrid he was supposed to marry...Hiccup had to clear his thoughts before they got into a dangerous territory.

"Dad, I, I, don't know. I mean, ah, it is a LOT of responsibility. What about Snotlout? He is your nephew and great at being a Viking. Or Astrid? Or Fishlegs? The point of all this is that, dad, I-I can't be Chief, I am not good enough."

Stoick was heartbroken. His son had no confidence in himself to become a great leader. He was rating Snotlout higher than himself! His nephew may have been all viking-like, but he was no Chief material. The Hofferson lass was better, but since she was supposed to end up with Hiccup anyway that would be a good match. After all, Valka was also helpful as Chief's wife as she helped him a lot, especially in day-to-day activities. Astrid would complement Hiccup perfectly. And they could have the Ingerman boy on the council. He was smart and had that level-headedness most of his villagers lack.

Getting back on track, the Chief reminded himself that his own son was worried about himself. That he was not good enough! Nonsense! Haddocks are always good enough! But Hiccup was unlike any Haddock. In the future he got braver, more confident, more imposing yet retaining his smartness and kind nature. At the moment, however, Hiccup was not that young man. And, what was worse, he did not feel he could ever BE that young man.

"Look, son. I know you are not yet who we saw in the future, but let me tell you this- I see him in you. No, Hiccup, it is not because you haven't changed much"-Stoick added seeing Hiccup's raised eyebrow and sarcastic expression on his features-"Who you will be in 5 years time is a smart young man who is brave and courageous and always willing to help their friends and people he cares about. You may not be strong for a Viking, but you are certainly smart. And while you may not have shown it, there is bravery inside you. It does not just appear, son. It is always inside of you. Everyone has it, but very few manage to unlock it. I know you can. You will do anything for your friends, for me, for Gobber, for Berk. How many people do you know that would sacrifice everything for that? You will impress me lad if you find someone like that. And no, I am brave but not as much as you are in the future, Hiccup. And you will be the most talented Viking of all! Look at your inventions! A flaming sword? Are you kidding me? A flight suit? Insane! On top of that you ride a Night Fury! I am certain you built that tail fin for the dragon as well! You see? You are special, Hiccup. True, you may not possess strength that some like Snotlout have, but it makes you...Hiccup. The young man who will change the world as we know it. You are capable of great things, son. Don't ever think of yourself as .ENOUGH. Because it is me who is not good enough compared to you. You will be a young man I would have loved to emulate had I lived after you. Forge your own path, Hiccup. Your friends, Gobber, I, will always be here for you, helping you with your mistakes and help you improve into a man I believe you can become! Most importantly, know this - your mother, may she rest in Valhalla, and I are proud of you. I, we, love you, son."

Hiccup was...feeling queasy at the end. What his dad just said...it hit him hard. He was barely managing to contain emotions as it was. Someone else wasn't so controlling though:

"That, sniff, was the best, ah, speech I have ever, sniff, heard."-Gobber was almost wailing by this point. Hiccup had to agree with this. And without hesitation he jumped and hugged (or tried to) his dad. The person who loves him. The person who will always be there for him.

Stoick did not wait either. He hugged him fiercely yet gently, and Hiccup never felt closer to home than now.

* * *

Drago was the only one not enter the dining room. Food never enthralled him, as he always though of it as nothing more than a fuel for his body. If he had the opportunity, he would probably never eat - a genuine waste of time to get rid of.

He waited until everyone left before calling for the voice to appear. This time there was no voice anywhere. Only a yellow triangle with one eye and a hat (he had both arms and legs though) floating towards him.

"Hiya. Name's Bill Cipher! How are you doing, Drago? Anything you want to...ask me?"

Drago was a bit apprehensive about this demon but decided to go for the approach he used sparingly - honesty.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cipher. And yes, I was wondering whether you could help me answer some questions."

"Sure, no problem. Fire away!"

Pretending he got the meaning of the expression 'fire away' Viggo said:

"Well, I was wondering what would happen when we watched all the parts of the future..."

"Aah, you want to know whether you will relive those lives or get to change the fate? Well, I can't tell you that, I am afraid. You see, I am not exactly supposed to have brought you here, but I was bored! Try living an eternity without being able to do anything!"

Grimborn was disappointed at the lack of clear answer but decided to let it go:

"Interesting. Alright, why am I not in the later future then? I presume it is the main one, and the other small parts we are watching are not totally relevant."

"Well, you played a big part in Berk, Ic...Viggo Grimborn. **(A/N: Guess what BC wanted to say before correcting himself)** You are there quite a lot, your brother even more so. Now as to what happened to you and your business, you will see soon enough. I am sure you are gonna enjoy your battles with Hiccup though. Speaking of battles, how about a game of Maces and Talons? I know you like the game. I haven't had a good opponent in centuries!"

Not wholly satisfied with the answers he got, he had to settle on whatever bits he managed to get from the demon. He was, however, in a better mood at the mention of the game.

A small table with two chairs appeared in front of them, a board already there, and two intelligent (but a bit messed up) individuals settled down to start and entertaining game that would go for hours.

* * *

Overall, it was a pleasant morning for everyone. The teens, including still-disheveled Fishlegs, had fun eating, talking and most importantly fighting each other using words and hands. Snotlout's wrists were probably strained at that point by Astrid and Heather (who bonded even more, it seemed) and the rest of his body wasn't doing much better. Most importantly for the raven-haired girl, everyone accepted her. And it was so heartwarming for her, knowing she had friends now, and close ones at that. She just hoped their encounter in the future was a pleasant one.

Gobber was seen hugging an uncomfortable Chief for at least 10 minutes, the blacksmith still a bit teary after Stoick's speech. Not many Vikings paid them much attention though.

The AC were also there. As always, Johann had the centre of attention of many, from both the friendly and hostile (to dragons) camps, telling them countless stories that the Vikings seemingly never got tired from.

Mala and Thork also managed to talk to Hiccup and show him respect as someone who managed to befriend a dragon. They were both pleasantly surprised to see that a boy was not arrogant at all and had a sense of humility around him. A truly worthy young man. He would have been an excellent king to the Defenders had it not been for the blonde girl the boy was obviously infatuated with.

Alvin and Savage, in the meantime, joined the hostile camp. Mildew and Alvin in particular were acting pretty friendly towards each other, something Stoick decided to keep an eye on.

Ryker was pretty much alone, drawing scared looks from whoever met his path. He also wanted to get to those annoying teens and show them how it is done. Alas, his brother may have been doing Gods know what and yet he knew that attacking those weaklings would not be received well by the younger sibling.

After Vikings were finally getting bored, the voice was heard throughout the dining room:

"And I am back! Did you miss me? I bet you did! Now, since you are all done here, please return to your rooms and get back to watching the future. Let's go!"

So AC characters went back to their showroom, or most of them anyway. Alvin and Savage decided to stay back. It was not met particularly well with Stoick and the friendly camp, but to make sure nothing led to a mass brawl Stoick decided to let this one go (after massive persuasion by Gobber). So now the AC room consisted of Grimborn brothers, Johann, Queen Mala & Thork as well as Dagur. Speaking of the Berserker Heir, he was pretty subdued during the morning, and even talked to Hiccup more or less civilly.

Alvin, Savage and Heather joined the Berkians and eventually the dragons (who had a separate feeding room) in their showroom. The teens sat the same way and the 2nd row was also pretty much the same. However, the 3rd and beyond rows were now mixed up. The friendly camp would be directly behind Stoick while hostile ones would be at the very last 2 rows, with Alvin and Mildew clearly in the midst. The Chief would have preferred to see hostile camp and friendly one reversed to keep a better eye on them but could do nothing about it. Plus he was still a bit distracted with what happened between him and Hiccup to care much.

"So, you are all finally seated. Took you long enough. Anyway, the next part of the future you are gonna see is about a certain girl"-everyone looked at nervous Heather-"and how you met her. It happened in a pretty near future so you will all look pretty much the same. Enjoy!"

 **And that is it for this chapter. It is a bit of a filler chapter, but I could not just play with Hiccup/Stoick relationship and not give it a proper time to work on it. So their relationship is completely MENDED. Viggo and Bill relationship is BORN because I always found it fascinating how similar both of them are. Of course there are stark differences as well but you can't deny they aren't that far alike. Added character development to Viggo as well who is a fascinating character. He is like Moriarty! Also added a bit of Heather/teens relationships gloss and Alvin/Mildew preview. We also have 2 camps now which will be changing in the future. As you might guess, I am going to go for the episode(s) in the next chapter about how they met Heather. It does have some AC (hint hint: all of them present in the main room). It can still be watched standalone, but would be better off if you watched what happened before it. For those who want to watch it, the episode that will appear in the next chapter is Season 1 (Riders of Berk not RTTE) Episodes 10 &11-Heather Report Part I and II. Oh, there will be a lot of fun in the next chapter!**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading this story. it has now reached almost 45k words which is more than my other 3 stories put together. I appreciate your support. Until then...**

 **Wait, wait. I am not gonna forget it.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

 **...take care.**


	10. Friends or Foes: Part I

**Back with the 10th chapter I am. I know, I know, you didn't miss me. Oh well.**

 **The last chapter has received the least views than any other chapter so far (by quite some margin) but since it was not a reactions chapter, I understand it. The one nice thing in the stats was the fact chapter "Love is Blind: Part II" has the highest views/visitors ratio than any other chapter (obviously except for the first one). Followed by "Romance In The Air". That means many people actually reread it which I am thankful for. I hope I did my best with Hiccstrid there.**

 **Anyway, this chapter is based on the episode titled "Heather Report: Part I". It is the S1 E10 of Dreamworks Dragons and Riders of Berk specifically. No points for you for deducing that there is also Part II episode which is E11. This chapter will cover only the first part, and even then, I don't honestly know whether I will have to stop before finishing it or not. I am a bit less reluctant to breaking the 6k word barrier but still absolutely certain that 7k should NOT be reached. At least for now. But let's see, shall we? I promise you, this chapter is gonna be fun.  
**

 **To all the reviewers, thank you! To a one particular Guest who was speaking about Hiccup's reaction towards Astrid:**

 **"Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I would agree with you in 99% but then I remember it is Hiccup. You see, Hiccup is kind-hearted and sees the best in everyone. He knows Astrid is...explosive, and yet he likes her all the same. He sees past her flaws, embraces them, just because he likes her. That is what love means. But I appreciate your thoughts nonetheless! :)"**

 **And lastly, disclaimers.** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

All the teens were anxious to see how they met their new friend. Astrid imagined it was during some inter-tribe competition. Twins were praying to Loki it was during their awesome destruction that they got to meet this strange but interesting girl. Snotlout didn't care as long Heather found him great from the start. Hiccup and Fishlegs didn't really care as long as they all met in good circumstances. Here's to hope...

 **[The scene starts with Hiccup and Toothless flying through a course. Fishlegs and Astrid keep track of his time. He eventually gets to the Academy in record time]**

No matter how many times they have seen the Night Fury on the screen before, Vikings could still not help but marvel at the dragon's sheer speed. And it carried a man! True, Hiccup was not quite buffy but he was still an extra load!

Alvin looked at the on-screen pair and then the two off it, squinting his eyes. Those two seemed inseparable, even now, so getting one would automatically mean getting the other! The Outcasts Chief crookedly smiled.

As for the teens, they were getting used to dragon flying but still impressed by Toothless speed. And he lost one of his tail fins! Unbelievable.

Hiccup, however, looked a bit surprised to see himself fly so well.

 **Hiccup: Yeah! Come on, bud! Here we go, buddy! Come on, Toothless! Yeah!**

 **Astrid: Here they come!**

 **Hiccup: Let's go!**

 **Fishlegs: Yep! It's a new course record.**

 **Hiccup: So? How'd we do?**

 **Fishlegs: Technically you're still the fastest, but someone, and I won't mention who, is gaining significant ground.**

"Something tells me I know who that person is..."-Hiccup said, smiling wryly and glancing at Astrid. Hofferson girl rolled her eyes but did appreciate his confidence in her. If only he was confident in himself as well...

 **Hiccup: What?**

 **Tuffnut: Don't look at us**

 **[Hiccup looks at Stormfly and Astrid who gives him a sly look]**

"That was one evil look, Astrid!"-Tuff exclaimed.

"Yeah, it was as if you HATED Hiccup for being so fast!"-Ruff added.

"Would you rather want him to go slower?"

"Tuff is right, I mean you both ARE inexperienced in this, so slow would be the way to go!"

"Though if you want him to go fast, up to you. Everyone has his own preferences!"

While the twins were arguing about something innocuous, the wording gave Heather an idea:

"The twins are right, Astrid."

"We are? Of course we are!"-Tuff said, before returning to fighting her sister. Others just looked at Heather inquiringly.

"Well, going fast and slow is possible...not only on a dragon..."-Heather said, suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows at the pair. Hiccup, Astrid, and even Fishlegs got the idea about what she was talking about. And while Fishlegs was laughing (until an evil glare his way made him gulp involuntarily), the former two were blushing red, swearing all sort of revenge on Heather. Oh, if only the future would show Heather's romantic endeavors! Hiccup would probably not mind giving the leg he lost to this cause.

"I don't get it."-Snotlout said, but was ignored.

 **Hiccup: How can that be? How can Toothless be getting slower?**

 **Fishlegs: He's not. Stormfly's getting _faster_.**

 **Hiccup: Oh, really? Is that so? Anything you'd like to share, Astrid?**

 **Astrid: Let's just say I'm experimenting with what she eats. Apparently, it's working. And making you mad.**

Vikings were now laughing at their interaction. The Hofferson girl was clearly teasing Hiccup and it was also nice to see that the Chief's son unique sense of humor remained with him.

The teens were also enjoying this conversation.

In the meantime Toothless looked at Stormfly inquiringly. How could this Nadder be gaining on him? I mean, Nadders are pretty quick but they are snails compared to Night Furies! True, Nightmares and Zipplebacks were even slower and Gronckles would probably eat the dust but still! Was his new friend actually feeding him properly? Or maybe he was eating too much? He knew he should have laid off that cod!

Stormfly, true to her species' nature, looked at Toothless and squawked in importance. The Night Fury grumbled, thought about how vain all those Nadders are, and rolled his eyes. Still, if they were friends, he did not have too many problems. He would let his new friend get close to him in racing. Just not close enough. Plus maybe the Nadder's new friend did discover some good food to eat? Hopefully his friend would get it from that girl of his and he would again be the fastest dragon around!

 **Snotlout: Whoo! Ha-ha! Whoo!**

 **Snotlout: You will not believe what I just found!**

 **Tuffnut: A severed head?**

 **Ruffnut: Our cousin, Lars?**

 **Tuffnut: Our cousin Lars' severed head?**

 **Fishlegs: Lars died?**

 **Tuffnut: Who said that?!**

Everyone behind the 2nd row was laughing hysterically at the teens' conversation. The 2nd row, however, could only roll his eyes. Thorstons rest their heads in hands, too exasperated to scold the twins about what they said about Lars. Ingermans rolled their eyes, but good naturally. Gobber was probably the only one laughing in that row.

The teens were all laughing as well though. Even the 3 culprits also found it funny, though the twins were impressed with their thinking more.

 **Snotlout: Um, excuse me? Do you guys want to see this, or not?**

 **[The riders follow Snotlout to an empty beach]**

 **Tuffnut: Huh. A wrecked boat on Berk? Yeah, there's something new.**

 **[A sign appears: "Heather Report: Part I"]**

It took some like Hiccup and Heather barely a second to recognize the pun (both well-versed in sarcasm were also apparently good in other aspects of humor). Others took a bit more, but eventually everyone in the room got it and oohed or aahed at this:

"Ah, Heather Report! So smart!"

"Yeah, like Weather Report!"

"It even rhymes with it! It is destiny!"

When everyone settled down, the scene continued.

 **Snotlout: Just remember, I saw it first, so it's mine.**

 **[He points towards a lying figure which appears to be Heather]**

"IT'S? I am IT now? Snotlout, if you weren't close to me now I would have probably strangled you!"-Heather screamed in anger. Tuffnut asked the girl:

"Hey Heather, do you want me to punch him for you? Cause I can do it."

At her nod, he smashed his fist into Snotlout's face, much to the pleasure of the green-eyed girl. The Jorgenson boy was still dizzy from the blow.

 **Tuffnut: Whoa! Now I like the boat.**

Heather looked at the male twin now, absolutely murderous, but before she could do anything she saw Ruffnut punch his lights out. Heather looked at her, surprised, and the female twin stated:

"Hey, my brother deserved it. He rarely is like that, but I need to do it. Plus, you were going to do it anyway. This way I got the fun and you got the revenge."-the raven-haired girl could not argue with this surprisingly sound logic and smiled at Ruff who offered back a grin. 'Maybe she wasn't as stupid as she looked like? Certainly smarter than her oaf of a brother...'

 **Snotlout: Remember, I get to keep her!**

 **Astrid: Snotlout, it's a person!**

"Thank you, Astrid!"

 **Snotlout: Right?! How lucky is that?**

What followed was just rolling of eyes and Hiccup restraining Heather from killing Snotlout (which he did not deserve, no matter how rude his cousin was, according to Hiccup). Fishlegs had to stop Astrid from defending her friend from that idiot Jorgenson as well.

 **Hiccup: Eh, hey. Hey there.**

 **[He tries to wake Heather up]**

"I like how others all argue and bicker while our Hiccup just looks at the girl and then prods her!"-Gobber exclaimed, heartily laughing. Thankfully to Hiccup, Heather did not think his action warranted a punch. He was just hoping there was no bloodbath by the end of this particular future showing. Snotlout was already dizzy while Tuff had a black eye now, though he apparently liked it.

 **[Heather wakes up and looks at the dragon riders. She gets scared.]**

 **Hiccup: It's okay. We're friends.**

 **[Heather coughs.]**

 **Heather: D-Do you have any water?**

 **[Snotlout, Fishlegs and Tuffnut fight over who gives water to the girl, with Snotlout winning the battle]**

 **Snotlout: Allow me.**

"Argh! Boys!"-Astrid said in frustration. Heather found it a bit funny though. Even Fishlegs? At least he did not act like she was some property...

"You know, Hiccup, I noticed that you were the only one not to offer me any water. What's up with that?"-she asked the Haddock boy and devilishly smiled. Hiccup knew she was setting him into some trap but was way too flustered to recognize it:

"Well, ah, you see, H-Heather, I must have, you know, thought, that you would g-get the water from my friends, aha."-he nervously rambled, hoping for the torture to be over. He was disheartened to see the raven-haired girl continue to smile.

"It is okay, Hiccup, I understand."-at his disbelieving look, she added-"after all, you were already enamored by other pretty girl, so who can blame you?"

Finally realizing what Heather was insinuating, Hiccup groaned. He did hear her giggle at his frustration. The good thing happened when he looked to his right, though. There, he saw Astrid look at him with a sincere smile. And suddenly he realized that he would have no problem, suffering so much, if Astrid was there to smile at him like that. And he internally thanked Heather for trying to bring them closer together, even if it was by merciless teasing. He was grateful to have both girls on his side.

 **Heather:** **Thank you.**

 **Heather** : **W-Where am I?**

 **[Tuffnut and Snotlout have a lovesick expressions on their faces]**

"Ugh! Come on, Tuff! What was with that face? I understand Snotlout since he does that pretty much every day when he unsuccessfully tries to woo Astrid"-she continued despite a certain 'Hey!' coming from her right-"but you? I mean, sure Heather is pretty and all"-she looked at the raven-haired girl, acknowledging her looks-"but you belong to Loki! And me!"

"You are right, sis. I am sorry. I hope Loki forgives me."-he now turned to Heather-"Heather, I have to say, I am sorry for looking at you like that. I am surprised myself but I will do my best not to do that anymore."

Not sure whether this apology was serious not, Heather nevertheless decided to accept it. The twins cheered considerably after that. 'They are pretty fun to hang around with...'

 **Hiccup** : **This is Berk.**

 **[Toothless rushes in front of Hiccup, getting close to Heather, who backs away in fear.]**

"I think we need to work on your timing, bud."-Hiccup patter his friend, grinning. The dragon only rolled his eyes but looked at Heather, grumbling apologetically. Heather couldn't look at those green eyes, feeling anything but cuteness overloading her, and said:

"It is okay, Toothless, thanks. And I really appreciate your enthusiasm at meeting me."

Toothless only stuck out his tongue like a puppy before looking back at Hiccup as if saying 'She is amazing! Keep her!'

 **Hiccup: Uh, do-don't be afraid! He won't hurt you.**

 **Hiccup: Hey. Come out. It's okay.**

 **[Heather comes out to see Hiccup calming Toothless down]**

 **Hiccup: Easy, bud.**

 **Heather: How did you do that?**

 **Snotlout: That? That's nothin'. Watch _this_. Hookfang, get your butt over here!**

 **[Hookfang flies away]**

Everyone was laughing at the Nightmare's reaction to Snotlout's command. Toothless in particular found it funny while the Nightmare in question also snickered, looking at his future rider.

 **Snotlout: Heh heh heh. He'll be back. Jokester.**

 **Snotlout: Oh! And just so you know, I'm the one who rescued you.**

 **Hiccup: And I would be Hiccup.**

 **Heather: Heather.**

 **[All this time Snotlout is looking with disbelief at seeing Hiccup and Heather hit it off well]**

"Oh, come on! How do you do that, Hiccup?"-young Jorgenson exclaimed.

"How do I do what, Snotlout?"-Hiccup pretended to be dumb, raising his eyebrow at his cousin.

"Don't give me that look, Hiccup. You know what I am talking about! First Astrid, then Heather! And what do I get? Ruffnut!"

"Hey! Being hit on by you is no picnic for me either!"-the female twin said before jumping at Snotlout. Tuff joined in for fun. Heather and Astrid decided to let Snotlout suffer a bit. Instead it was Fishlegs who had to go and sort it out, only to get into a mess. They eventually stopped when seeing their parents' unamused faces. All fighters were a bit ruffled up. Snotlout and Tuffnut, in particular, looked terrible. They decided to settle in for now.

 **Astrid: So, Heather... What happened to you?**

 **Heather: My family and I were on our way home to our island when our boat was attacked by pirates.**

"I am sorry to hear that, Heather."-Astrid said, supporting her friend. Hiccup added:

"I am sure they are fine! If they are anything like you, they are already safe and sound!"

Their attempts to soothe her pain were appreciated by the raven-haired girl. She felt much happier, knowing that these two would support her no matter what. She just hoped her parents were okay.

 **Tuffnut: I wanna be a pirate!**

 **Tuffnut: Or a fish cleaner. I'm still on the fence.**

Mr.&Mrs. Thorston just looked at their son with disappointed gazes. Tuffnut hasn't noticed it though. The teens were also disgruntled at the male twin's lack of tact but no fight happened...for now.

 **Astrid: Ehem! You were saying?**

 **Heather: They attacked our boat and took us back to our island, laying siege to it. I was able to escape, but my mother and father, they weren't so lucky.**

 **Tuffnut: Stupid pirates! I'm definitely gonna be a fish cleaner!**

 **Hiccup: Hey, everything's gonna be okay. My dad's the Chief. We'll figure something out.**

Heather and Hiccup just smiled at their exchange.

 **[Astrid is unconvinced and checks the scene out a bit, before getting back to Stormfly]**

"Is everything okay, Astrid?"-Heather asked.

"I don't know. My future self doesn't look too trusting. Let's hope it is nothing."

 **Astrid: Hey, don't forget we're meeting tomorrow to work on our times. Unless you want Stormfly to be the fast one in the Book of Dragons.**

Toothless grunted, this time clearly unamused by the events. Nadder gave a bit of a victory squawk but the Night Fury ignored it. As if that would happen!

 **Hiccup: Yeah, that's definitely not gonna happen. We will be there.**

 **Hiccup: Okay?**

 **Heather: Whoa!**

 **Snotlout: U, can I get a ride from someone...?**

And again Vikings were laughing at the Jorgenson boy's expense. Spitelout was just plain scowling, and Gobber's grin aimed at him did not make him any happier.

 **Hiccup: Alright, just this way. Watch your step. And, here we are.**

 **Heather: It was nice of your father to let me stay here.**

"Thank you, Chief Stoick."-Heather turned back to address the Chief. Despite limited interaction with him, she could feel he was a kind man and Hiccup took more after him than he would admit.

"No problem, lass. Until we can find you a safe place to go, consider Berk your home."

 **Hiccup: Well, until we can find you a safe place to go, consider Berk your home.**

People at first stared at the screen, before guffawing again. Gobber was openly laughing at his friend while Heather giggled into her hand. Yep, she rests her case.

 **[Heather notices the sketches]**

 **Heather: Wow! What are these? They're really cool!**

 **Hiccup: A new saddle for Toothless. We're trying to get some extra speed so we can stay on top of Astrid and Stormfly. Astrid's very competitive.**

"Yeah, no kidding."-Tuff said. Astrid had to begrudgingly agree she was, a bit, intense. Just a bit.

 **Hiccup: Okay, so, uh, do you need anything? Some warm yak milk? A nice fish stew?**

 **Heather: No. But thank you, Hiccup. I'm really tired. It's been a long day.**

 **Hiccup: Right! Okay, uh, come on, Toothless. We're sleeping downstairs.**

 **Heather: Hey, Hiccup?**

 **Hiccup: Yes?**

 **Heather: Thanks.**

 **Hiccup: Sleep well, Heather.**

Now the Berkians were slowly splitting up again. This time it wasn't about dragons though, no. This time it was who was a better couple -Hiccup and Astrid or Hiccup and Heather. Most of the villagers still preferred the Hofferson girl but there were a few who were now rooting for the new girl. A small number of villagers thought Hiccup would be better off with both of them, but did not voice their view.

As for the teens, Astrid tried to rein in something negative she was feeling now. She wasn't sure what it was, but it made her feel unhappy with Heather, and she didn't want that.

Snotlout and the twins were also looking at the screen with disbelief. Hiccup got Astrid in the future and possibly Heather as well? Fishlegs already promised himself to ask his friend for advice while Snotlout was cursing everything he could under his breath.

As for the couple in question, they looked mostly unaffected. True, their interaction in the future looked a bit more than just friendship, but they already knew that they liked being friends more. Still, it didn't mean they did not want to know how it all finished.

 **[The scene changes to Astrid bringing a barrel of chicken to Stormfly]**

 **Astrid:That's it, girl. Finish up your chicken. By the time Hiccup figures out _this_ is what's giving you all that energy, he'll be eating our dust!**

Toothless looked so smug at Stormfly that the Nadder squawked in protest. Now that he knew what that Nadder ate he could eat the same and maintain his speed! Or better yet, not try anything new and just beat the annoying dragon on his own pace. No amount of chicken would help the girl's dragon!

"Chicken, huh? What do you say, bud? Wanna try?"-he heard his friend ask him. He looked at Hiccup, contemplating, before shaking his head and turning back to the screen.

"Don't you even dare try it, Hiccup!"

"Why not, Astrid? Technically you yourself had no idea what special food it was, so I am not exactly stealing your idea!"

The Hofferson girl huffed, but had to concede he had a point. That still warranted a strong punch to his shoulder.

 **[Stormfly hears a commotion]**

 **Astrid: What is it, girl?**

 **Astrid; You stay here.**

 **Astrid: Hey!**

 **[Astrid runs towards a fleeing figure before stopping]**

 **Astrid: Heather?**

"Okay, now THAT is suspicious! What were you doing, Heather?"-Astrid asked, with a harsher tone than she intended. That nagging feeling she experienced a few minutes ago did not help.

"I-I don't know, Astrid, I swear!"

Before Astrid could retort, Hiccup cut in:

"Look, let's not jump to conclusions. Whatever Heather was doing, we will find out soon enough."

Heather was just hoping whatever it was was not bad.

 **Heather: You're up early.**

 **Hiccup: Yeah. Just wanted to get the jump on this.**

 **Heather: You know, with a shorter connecting rod, it'll push you back in the saddle and make you more streamlined.**

 **Hiccup: Which will increase our speed! Yeah! Oh, you hear that, bud? Stormfly's gonna be seeing a lot more of your tail.**

 **[Toothless looks happy to hear it]**

This time Toothless did not even bother hiding triumphant look from Stormfly who clearly looked peeved. The dragons were just about to engage in a fight before their respective riders started reigning them in.

"Come on, Hiccup! Can't you make him stop?"

"What did he do? Stormfly got up first to fight!"

"She wouldn't do it if your dragon wasn't so arrogant. Just like his rider!"

"And Stormfly wouldn't retaliate if her rider wasn't so competitive!"

Before they could continue bickering anymore Heather decided to make them sit them both down and nodded to the screen in anticipation. They both had to comply.

 **Heather: So, when can we test it out?**

 **Hiccup: How about right now?**

 **[The scene changes to Astrid on Stormfly, looking for someone. Toothless flies past at a fast** **speed, with Hiccup and Heather on his back]**

 **Heather: Whoo! Yeah!**

 **Astrid: You have got to be kidding me.**

"What happened, lassie? Are you getting, perhaps, jealous?"-Gobber asked, winking at Astrid. She decided to ignore him, but had to admit that the negative feeling she was experiencing earlier must have been jealousy. What else? But why? Heather was definitely not interested in Hiccup like that! Was she?

 **[Scene changes to the Dragon Training Academy]**

 **Fishlegs: Oh, ho! She loves getting her ears cleaned! I know just the right spot.**

Villagers were clearly disgusted, even Mrs. Ingerman who found her boy's dragon to her liking.

 **Snotlout: Hookfang! Will you just calm down?**

 **[Hookfang just puffs smoke at him]**

What was wrong with that dragon? Snotlout could not fathom for the love of Gods what made the Nightmare so irritatingly disobedient.

 **Snotlout: Are we training, or not?**

 **Fishlegs: Hey, where's Hiccup?**

 **Astrid: Giving a private lesson.**

"Ooh! So much jealousy, Astrid!"-Ruff said. Tuff just laughed. And Astrid without hesitation jumped at them both. Unfortunately that meant Fishlegs, who was sitting in between them was also involved.

"Should we help them?"-Heather asked, concerned. Hiccup just waved it off:

"Don't worry, the twins are tougher than they look"

"Well, I, for one, am just happy this time I am not involved in this fight."-Snotlout said, before receiving and accidental punch from Ruffnut-"Aww! My beautiful nose!'

Eventually they all calmed down though the twins looked like they fended off 5 dragon raids in one day. Fishlegs was a bit bruised and even Astrid had some marks.

 **Fishlegs: I didn't know he gave private lessons! Can anybody get in on that?**

The 2nd row rolled their eyes at the young Ingerman's inability to understand sarcasm.

 **Astrid: Apparently, just her.**

No one decided to taunt Astrid, probably for their own safety. Even the twins knew when it is safe to taunt others and when not to. Astrid was already pretty close to breaking down, or, better said, breaking someone's nose.

 **Ruffnut: Uh-oh! Looks like there's another hen in the rooster house.**

Ruffnut gulped, knowing that Astrid would not care it was her future self who said it. She looked at the Hofferson girl meekly who decided not to engage...for now.

 **Tuffnut: Uh-oh. Yeah. Another rooster in the hen house. Wait, what?**

Eye rolls from the 2nd row and the rest of the teens while the twins' parents just facepalmed. Tuff was always the less smart one between the two, though he did on occasion come up with intelligent things. Too bad it was not too often.

 **Astrid: Nothing. She thinks I'm jealous, which is completely ridiculous.**

"That sounded so fake, milady, that even I could act better than that."-Hiccup chuckled, but slouched when he saw Astrid fisting her arm. He moved to rectify the mistake:

"Now that i think about it, I think that it was a genuine reaction and you are not jealous at all."

Astrid relaxed a bit though she did look at Hiccup with accusatory eyes. The boy could only nervously smile in return.

"She has you around her finger..."

"Shut up, Heather."

 **Tuffnut: Oh, right, right. Wait. Of who? Me? Wait, am I the rooster, or the hen?**

Sighs from everyone.

 **Astrid: Trust me. The last thing I am is jealous.**

 **[Hiccup and Heather arrive on top of Toothless]**

Everyone was now leaning in, anticipation rising. Love triangle assembled would be interesting!

 **Hiccup: Top 'o the morning, class! How's everyone doing today?**

 **Astrid** : **Oh! Nice of you to show up.**

 **Hiccup** : **What? Oh, we were supposed to meet up. I'm so sorry.**

 **Snotlout: _Awkward!_**

"The perfect summation of this situation, eh, Stoick?"-Gobber quietly asked his friend who only sighed.

"Great, just as I was thinking Hiccup and Astrid were meant to be together, this new lass comes in and potentially destroys everything."

"I don't think you have to worry about this Heather girl stealing away Hiccup."

"I am not worried about that, Gobber. The fact is, Astrid noticed that Heather is acting suspicious, yet Hiccup does not notice it. I am sure Hofferson lass will talk to him, but what will he think of that? I hope he listens to Astrid, Gobber."

"Well, you know how he can be sometimes, Stoick. He is stubborn like a Haddock!"

"Yeah, yeah, you are right...wait, what?"

 **Tuffnut: Oh, Astrid's jealous of the pretty one, right? Why talk about hens and roosters?**

And the absolute mayhem suddenly started. Tuff was just agreeing with his future self when he was nearly knocked out of the room by someone sprawling at him. Trying to stop Astrid, Hiccup and Heather tried to get to her but were accidentally tripped by Fishlegs and fell into Ruffnut. The four collided with the fighting duo and were all headed towards the last remaining teen.

"Oh, Thor..."-Snotlout whined before bracing himself.

Their parents tried to stop their children from fighting but it was useless since no one could see anything. Moreover, unlike the first row, the others weren't allowed to move so the only way to stop them was verbally, but even Stoick's booming voice, filled with promises and threats, was not enough to stop this mess.

Astrid was never a calm-headed and a patient person. And this all...it overwhelmed her. Dragons, armies, Hiccup, having friends, falling in love...it was too much. So she was already at wit's end when this particular part started. To hear others constantly make fun of her being jealous was the last straw. You couldn't really blame her, especially knowing her short fuse.

Hiccup and Heather tried to stop the fight, but received plenty of accidental punches from Ruff and Snotlout who were just punching everything they could. At the end they got out first, followed by Fishlegs who rolled out of the altercation.

Heather had several bruises on her arms and legs and she was coughing from receiving a strong punch into her abdomen. Hiccup was barely faring any better. He was stronger than he looked like, but his whole body was sore. Not to mention a split lip and a sprained wrist. As for Fishlegs, he mainly managed to roll himself in like a hedgehog so escaped without any serious injury. He did have some small bruises everywhere though.

Eventually Astrid's fuse went out and she relaxed on top of Tuff was a mess, to say the least. He and his sister would often go to Gothi to heal their injuries, but Tuff really, really, looked terrible. Black eyes, broken nose, several teeth missing, he also had his leg twisted and shoulder dislocated among his more serious injuries. When Astrid realized what she had done, she felt sick. That she could do something like that? Even Snotlout did not deserve it, no matter how annoying she was. Astrid looked horrified and just sprang away from the fight, getting close to Hiccup and Heather, who were a bit wary about her.

Snotlout and Ruffnut stopped as soon as they saw who they were hitting, as well. Snotlout was worse of the two, but he did have earlier injuries to contend with. He was better than Tuff though, because while he got injured in this tussle by accidental punches, Tuffnut was receiving intentional blows from love of his life. Mind you, if that was what she was capable of, he wanted nothing to do with her. Hiccup could have her for all he cares!

Ruff just decided to ignore some of the pain she had to check on her brother, only to be horrified by the injuries he sustained. Without hesitation she went up to quiet Astrid and punched her. Punched her. Straight in the face. Astrid went down, too guilty to defend, and could hear Ruff's angry voice over her:

"I have seen you angry plenty of times, Astrid, but that was unacceptable! What were you doing? You nearly killed my brother! And for what? To hide in fear from us being right? That you are jealous? Well, guess what? Only I am allowed to beat my brother to the pulp! Only I can jump on him, scare him, and do what you just did to him! If you want to do that to Snotlout, please, be my guest (Jorgenson boy whined a bit at the remark - he was NOT ready for another fight)! But if you do anything to my brother again, I swear you will have to deal with me! And I can do much worse things than throwing punches!"

With these stunning words she went to tend for Tuff who only whispered: "Best. Fight. Ever..."

As for everyone else in the room, they were stumped. The 2nd row were particularly in disbelief. That is, until Thorstons started yelling at Hoffersons who were too shocked to see what their daughter has done to care. Spitelout was looking at Stoick, demanding some action from the Chief, but even Stoick was in disbelief.

As for the rest, Alvin, Savage, Mildew and a few other Vikings who enjoyed watching violence this was an entertaining fight. And all because of that black-haired girl, no less! Alvin was just hoping the teenagers would remain with the same animosity that he could feel from them now.

Eventually the teens all managed to find a place to sit. It was not anywhere near their previous arrangements. Hiccup and Heather decided to sit together, away from everyone else, with Toothless to their right to stop any unwanted neighbor from coming. Truth is, Hiccup was not completely angry by Astrid's reaction. Twins could be exceptionally annoying at times, and he knew Astrid was not the one to admit to feelings. But even that was too much. He just wanted a bit of peace, no matter what Heather was doing in the future. Friend or foe in the future did not matter. Only what was happening now. And they were definitely close friends here.

Heather was shocked by Astrid's reaction too, but she knew that she also had that streak in her. So there was a certain pity mixed in her feelings towards the blonde girl.

The other group consisted of Snotlout and the twins who were tending for each other. They may love violence but that was too much, so they were trying to help each other. Or, better put, try to help Tuff first because he needed it the most. The other too would receive help soon enough.

Astrid sat in the middle, Stormfly blocking everyone from the girl who was on the verge of tears. Fishlegs may have hated such violence but he felt terrible for the girl. She was still their friend and she needed help. So knowing no one else was willing to do it, he got close to her (Stormfly eventually letting him pass) and sat near Astrid. She was sobbing now and could not hold it in any longer when she saw Fishlegs who offered her a comforting smile. She started bawling her eyes out, not caring in the least about her reputation (or what was left of it anyway), hugging Fishlegs as she did so. Fishlegs knew his tunic would be all wet from her tears but did not care. She was his friend and he would help her in a difficult time. She would do the same to him if the roles were reversed too.

The screen died down, with an announcement written out:

 _"Due to several circumstances you are allowed now to go towards the snack room if you wish so. The future showing will resume in half an hour."_

Most of the Vikings were leaving the heavily charged room, muttering among themselves about what happened.

The 2nd row also decided to leave. They knew that, to heal any injuries the teenagers had, they needed time alone. Not physical injuries, per se, but mental. They looked to be close friends in the future and did not want to see their children throw it away.

The only ones remaining were 7 desolate and stricken teens.

 **Yep, you are gonna kill me now. I did promise it would be fun though. Stop throwing your phones and laptops around the room. Anyway, there is no need to guess that I decided to BREAK most of their relationships. No need to tell you who lost the most. *points at Astrid*. Anyway, we will see what I do in the next chapter. I have no idea myself to be honest. So, you may be able to convince me if you share your thoughts with me.**

 **READ THIS IF YOU WANT AN EXPLANATION TO THE TEENS ACTIONS IN THIS CHAPTER:**

 **I know not everyone will think they are very much in character (or OOC or whatever people call it) but let me reason with you. Fishlegs is a kind guy who is always there for his friends. He is not like Hiccup in comforting department but he is definitely one of the best at it. He knew that Astrid needed someone to help her and Hiccup was not coming as far as he was seeing, hence he went himself. Ruffnut may like hurting Tuff in pranks but she is incredibly protective of him. Think Likenwing episode! She can become maniacal in this so no surprise she exploded. Tuff stating the fight was awesome is also understood since he enjoys violence even if it is on him and we have seen it often in RTTE. Snotlout's whining is also usual since we know he is all talk, not much action. Getting Hiccup and Astrid right was harder. Hiccup decided not to talk to Astrid because he knows she needed space right now. Especially from him. Plus he was still good friends with Heather and he needed to be there for raven-haired girl too.**

 **Astrid...people will say that I should not have gone that far...But let me explain: everyone has been overwhelmed by the news. But not anyone more so than Astrid. She wanted to be Shield Maiden, kill dragons, become fearless Viking and then she finds out she is all lovey-dovey, loves dragons, has weaknesses and most importantly likes Hiccup a lot. To take all that in is not easy, believe me I know. And people like Astrid are tough on the outside - but not so much on the inside. So she was already struggling when the part started and brought to wit's end with all the 'jealousy' talk. She can not admit to herself she likes Hiccup and likes the changes made so she lashed out. Tuff was just unfortunate to have been her target.**

 **THAT'S IT. HOPE I CLEARED IT FOR YOU GUYS AND GALS.**

 **Anyway, we finished first half of Part I of this arc. So, that means we will have 4, yes, 4, chapters involving Heather and the teens. I know, I know, you hate me now cause I will stretch it to a month but no one said it is gonna be easy. Anyway, I will finish 2nd half of this episode in the next chapter, no matter how many words. Since there are about 14 minutes left in this particular episode, I am expecting the longest chapter yet. This one passed 6k so at least something good for you.**

 **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

 **Until then, take care.**


	11. Friends or Foes: Part II

**Your favorite author is back! Just kidding. Your hated author is here. I know you didn't miss me one bit. Anyway, I am in the middle of a move so while this chapter will be released this Saturday, I can not vouch for the next release. Hopefully everything to be uploaded as usual.**

 **Anyway, this is the 2nd chapter for the Friends or Foes arc. This will be less heavy than last one. Probably since there is not much to break further.**

 **Now, the last chapter received some negative feedback to which I am grateful. Why? Well, I needed to hear something like that to improve. A** **t first I wanted to give separate responses but seeing quite a few reviews criticizing the story, in particular Ch10, decided to join it all in one feedback:**

 _ **Thank you for your responses, irrelevant of the fact they were negative. Chapter 10 was criticized for breaking relationships between the teens. Well, guess what? Real life is like that. I had plenty of people who liked me that started to get distant, ignore, or even hate me. And vice versa. Relationships can never stay the same, and if people think the teens have that perfect chemistry, they are wrong. Snotlout annoys everyone, in particular Astrid/Hiccup, twins annoy everyone as well (Fishlegs especially unhappy), Fishlegs' and Hiccup's thirst for knowledge also baffles others, Astrid's determination is often at odds with others, especially Fishlegs' relaxing ways, and etc. What makes them the perfect team is their ability to look past each other's flaws and work together. They are friends, but it does not mean they don't fight. Hiccup/Snotlout, Astrid/Snotlout, Hiccup/Fishlegs, Astrid/Ruffnut, Twins/Others, and many other relationships suffered a lot throughout the series, RTTE in particular. Yet their relationships eventually get better. The more sufferings relationships of through, the stronger they get.**_

 _ **I am not trying to vilify Astrid. Neither am I making Heather an angel. I am just showing Astrid's flaws to show that we all (and Hiccup) love her despite those drawbacks of hers.** **She has flattened them out as she grew older, but don't forget that she is still 15 in the story! And people don't change overnight. Even if they watch the future.**_

 _ **I am not here to write Hiccstrid. Ch 7 is not a romantic Hiccstrid. I love the ship, but it is not in the story. If you want steamy interactions, change the rating to M. And relationships can be salvaged from worse than what happened in Ch 10.** **There was no "Crime". I do not feel the need to "Desist" from writing them because life ain't all rainbows. All people argue in their relationships. As far as this story goes, Chapter 10 did not even show any argument. Rather, I showed Astrid's flaws, which was required for the arc. And I do not think I have "Done enough damage" to refrain from writing it anymore. And if you "Don't consider it good writing" there are plenty of light stories with romantic Hiccstrid or 'Watch the movie' fics that you can enjoy. But this story is NOT either of those. If you don't like it, you may stop reading. I respect your opinion nonetheless. I will keep those reviews up as a sign of appreciation. Good luck.**_

 **I was also given another suggestion: "Fright of Passage". Thank you for this great idea! I would appreciate if others agreed/disagreed on me adding it. Since it is not RTTE it will have to be done as soon as possible, before the 2nd season's ending. I don't want to get back to first 2 seasons afterwards.**

 **Now, your favorite part:** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.  
**

The break finished quickly, with the villagers getting back to the 'future' room immediately. They were still unsure what to think about the fight between the young Vikings, but decided to see how it all played out. Mildew managed to bring some people over to his side by spinning the story and making dragons look like villains in the situation.

When everyone was seated, they noticed not one teen moved from their spot. Half an hour passed but nothing. Stoick was hoping this was going to change soon enough.

The showing then started.

 **Astrid** : **So, Heather? Sleep well?**

 **Heather** : **Very well. Thank you, Astrid.**

 **[Astrid glares at Heather, who looks spooked]**

"I have to admit, Astrid, that is one deadly glare."-Fishlegs chuckled. Astrid weakly smiled at the Ingerman boy. She couldn't argue with that one.

 **Heather** : **So... This is it? Your Dragon Training Academy.**

 **Tuffnut** : **No. Our Dragon Training Academy. Remember, I called you the pretty one.**

"You won't be fighting me too, will you, Heather? Cause as awesome as it is, I am a bit sore. We can fight later though, if you want!"-Tuffnut yelled towards Heather. The other Vikings chuckled, glad to see the male twin was feeling as usual. Thorston parents were happy to see that.

"No worries, Tuffnut. Relax."

 **Hiccup** : **We've been training the dragons to become part of our everyday lives.**

 **Fishlegs** : **And it all goes right in here.**

 **Heather** : **Really? Everything?**

 **Fishlegs** : **Mmm, yep. I'm kind of the Log Keeper. Log Master, really.**

"You know, 'legs, you are kind of funny, in a good way, when you try to impress a girl."-Astrid said, suppressing a reluctant giggle at her friend's antics. Fishlegs only got red in his face which prompted the Hofferson girl to cough to avoid laughing at her friend.

 **Snotlout** : **He writes down what Hiccup tells him to.**

The Vikings laughed at the three boys' flirting. True, they themselves are not especially good at it, but it was still fun to watch other fail! The parents were just good-naturedly rolling their eyes.

 **Fishlegs** : **I give it my own spin, thank you.**

"Nice save, Fishlegs."-Heather said to the Ingerman boy, chuckling. The husky blonde sputtered a weak 'thank you', much to Astrid's amusement.

Fishlegs noticed that he was becoming 'the butt of a joke', so to speak, for Astrid, but he did not care. The important thing was that she was feeling better and laughter goes a long way in helping with that. She was already no longer frowning, and smiling on occasion, so he would have no problem with suffering some teasing if it meant she would get even better.

 **Heather** : **Can I see it?**

 **Astrid** : **I'll take that, thank you. Excuse us.**

 **[Fishlegs and Snotlout immediately stand by Heather's sides]**

'I wonder whether Astrid will tell Hiccup about her suspicions about the raven-haired girl. Let's hope the lass can persuade my stubborn son to listen to reason.'-Stoick was thinking. He could see Gobber was having similar thoughts.

 **Astrid** : **Hiccup, I don't think we should be showing her all our dragon secrets.**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid, it's fine.**

 **Astrid** : **I just don't trust her. You shouldn't either.**

 **Hiccup** : **Well, I do and you should trust me.**

Stoick groaned. Why was that boy so stubborn? Must have taken it from Valka.

"I know what you are thinking, Stoick. And no, Hiccup did not take his stubbornness from Valka, rest her soul. He took it from his boar-headed father!"

Astrid wanted to talk to Hiccup but did not want to be heard, or seen, by anyone so she decided to wait out. Hiccup decided to speak to her himself:

"Astrid."-with many people hearing it, they turned towards their (so far) favorite couple to listen for developments. Vikings had no sense of privacy...-"You are right. I should have trusted you enough to at least be on guard. I hope nothing wrong happens."

Hofferson girl was too surprised to reply straight away. Hiccup acknowledged she was right? She looked at him to see the Haddock boy discussing something with Heather. It was not heated though, so no arguments there.

"You are right, Hiccup. I don't know what I am doing there, but I am sorry for whatever is gonna happen, alright?"-Heather said.

"Don't worry, Heather, I am sure everything will go fine. And I can't blame you for what you haven't done yet, can I?"

Both teens chuckled and turned back to the screen.

 **Heather** : **So, Mr. Fishlegs, "Log Master of the Book of Dragons"- I can call you that, can't I?**

 **Fishlegs** : **Absolutely.**

 **Heather** : **Tell me, what would one find in the Book of Dragons about the... Magnificent Gronckle?**

 **Fishlegs** : **Well, the Gronckle is a member of the Boulder Class of dragons. Fourteen feet long, eighteen foot wingspan, five thousand, seven hundred and twenty-four pounds of pure love.**

Vikings, now more accustomed to dragons, found the scene pretty cute. Mrs. Ingerman 'aww'ed at Meatlug. She clearly found that dragon adorable! She found that dragon on the left side, looking at Fishlegs with the same look of care. She was now certain that dragons were not beasts, but rather magnificent animals.

 **Fishlegs** : **Come on, girl, don't be shy.**

 **Heather** : **She's so cute! But how does she perform in battle?**

 **Fishlegs** : **Well, feel her skin.**

 **Fishlegs** : **It's thick. Impenetrable. Like armor.**

 **[Fishlegs throws a rock at Meatlug, which ricochets back at him]**

Astrid was now trying her best not to laugh at a poor boy, whose suffering were still not over, it seemed. As usual, Fishlegs did not mind, especially since the girl next to Hiccup found the scene funny as well.

 **Fishlegs** : **AH! It's also quite springy.**

 **Heather** : **What about her tail? It looks like it could be a weapon.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Oh, it is. Tough, bulbus, deadly. It can even be used as a blugeon.**

 **Heather** : **Oooh! She sounds so fierce.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Oh, she's fierce alright- on the outside. But on the inside, she's as soft as a bed of rose petals. Aren't you my little baby?**

 **[He hugs Meatlug]**

Meatlug decided enough was enough, and got up from her seat and walked purposefully towards the blonde boy. She could clearly feel he liked her very much, and having been fighting humans all her life, she wanted to have that someone who would protect and love her.

Fishlegs got scared a bit at first, but calmed down. Hiccup befriended a Night Fury and Astrid buddied with Deadly Nadder. Surely such an adorable Gronckle like Meatlug wouldn't be so hard?

"Hey, girl. Uh, I guess I should call you Meatlug. I see we are pretty close in the future, girl, so do you want to be my friend? I would really like that."-with these words he turned his head away (like Hiccup and Astrid did) and put his hand up in front of him. He did not have to wait long before he felt something muzzling against it. When he turned her head to front he saw that Meatlug had her tongue out, smiling at her new friend. Fishlegs proceeded to hug her.

Some Vikings still found this impressive, and clapped. Not everyone was happy, of course, since the hostile camp was still pretty strong. Alvin looked thoughtful at how the fat boy and that overgrown sausage became close.

Mrs. Ingerman promised she would go and hug that dragon as soon as she got the chance!

Meatlug settled in close to Stormfly who squawked in greeting at the new arrival. Finally someone who does not think so highly of himself! Stormfly was looking derisively at a calm-looking Night Fury, who looked clearly unaffected by what just happened. 'Snobbish'

 **[The scene changes to Heather and Tuffnut sitting on Barf and Belch]**

"Hey, Tuff! Why am I not on the dragon and Heather is?"-Ruffnut asked her twin accusingly. The boy could only shrug.

 **Heather** : **So, Tuff, tell me how this works again?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Okay, you yank on his head, he barfs up this really nasty gas, and I spark it. But, don't breathe it in.**

 **Heather** : **Why not?**

 **Tuffnut** : **You don't want to know. Just give me the signal.**

 **Heather** : **What's the signal?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Ah... man, I always forget that.**

 **Heather** : **How 'bout: fire?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Wow, you're really good at this.**

The 4 teens on the left and Snotlout couldn't help but roll their eyes at Tuffnut.

 **Tuffnut: Much better than my sister, who I can easily get rid of, by the way. I mean, easily. She looks a lot like me. Sometimes I impersonate both of us.**

"What? Tuffnut! I should have let Astrid beat you!"-Ruff screamed at her twin. She knew her brother was just half-serious, but to say something like that to someone new! And he let her sit on a dragon! Ruff was never the one to hate others due to jealousy (mainly cause she never felt any) and that was the case here too. She had nothing against Heather, who seemed like a nice girl, and had no problems with destruction (she and Heather talked a bit during the night before sleeping about fighting and explosions and Ruff was pleasantly surprised to see the raven-haired girl interested in that stuff). So she was only angry at her brother. She was not serious when saying she should have let Hofferson beat him. She would probably have killed him if it went any longer! Yet now she felt a twinge of understanding for the blonde girl.

 **Heather** : **Yeah. Why don't we focus on the task at hand?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Right. Okay. Ready?**

 **Heather** : **Ready.**

 **Tuffnut** : **Signal! Ugh, darn- I mean, FIRE!**

 **[They blast the ship]**

"Tuffnut!"-Stoick roared at the male twin. He hated when they were up to destroying things, but now with a dragon? That would need some time getting used to.

 **Heather** : **What do we do now?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Usually we hide... until the Chief finds us. Then we get in trouble.**

"You did not hide this time, and I found you. You are in a big trouble."-Stoick uttered at the male twin, who looked a bit paler. He was DEFINITELY not up to running or anything physical!

"We will discuss this later."-Thorston boy sighed in relief.

 **[The scene changes to Heather and Snotlout with Hookfang]**

 **Heather** : **I have to say Snotlout, your dragon really is the most impressive.**

 **Snotlout** : **Yeah, I know. So, let's talk about you and me. You never did get to thank me for saving your life.**

Heather rolled her eyes and asked Hiccup:

"Is he always like this?"

"You mean egoistical, selfish, narcissistic and self-absorbed? Yes."

"Aren't those words the same?"

"With Snotlout? No."

 **Heather** : **You're right. Thank you, Snotlout. So, how much does he weigh exactly?**

 **Snotlout** : **Well, him? Five thousand pounds give or take. He's monstrous. Remember? Sort of like his Rider so... heh. Tour of the island, you and me, what do you say?**

 **Heather** : **Actually, Hiccup took me on Toothless. It was beautiful.**

 **[Heather walks past him as Snotlout looks astounded]**

"Phew. Thank you, Hiccup! What would I do without you and Toothless?"

"Probably wanna jump off Hookfang during that flight?"-Hiccup laughed and Heather joined in. Even Toothless made a guttural sound, appreciating the humor at his friend's cousin's expense.

As for Astrid, she was secretly thankful to Heather that the new girl was taking the heat for her. Snotlout was insufferable when flirting!

 **Heather** : **So, Snotlout, how does this whole fire-thing work with Hookfang?**

 **Snotlout** : **It's his spit. It coats his whole body. That's what lights him on fire, okay? Between you and me? I use it on date-night. The ladies seem to love the smell.**

 **Heather** : **Can he flame up on command?**

 **Snotlout** : **Oh, he can. But he won't. Pig-headed dragon.**

 **[Unhappy Hookfang lights Snotlout's pants on fire]**

"Stupid dragon..."

 **Snotlout** : **Could you give me a minute?**

 **Snotlout** : **Just one minute!**

 **[He runs towards the** **basin and relaxes as the fire is put out]**

Everyone was laughing now at the Jorgenson boy's antics. Nightmare seemed to understand the insult was the main topic of discussion. The dragons could understand what they were saying?! That changed so much!

The dragon in the spotlight just smiled at his future rider. Snotlout noticed that smirk, but could do nothing about it.

 **Heather** : **Take as much time as you need!**

 **[The scene changes to Hiccup and Toothless]**

 **Hiccup** : **There we go, bud. Oh, that's gonna work perfectly.**

 **[Heather closes the door before going up and looking for something. She finds it under the bed]**

 **Heather** : **Gotcha. The Book of Dragons.**

"Okay, Heather, that was suspicious. If you wanted to read, you could have asked. Hiccup or I would have easily given it to you"-Fishlegs said.

"Sorry, Fishlegs, but I still have no idea what, or why, am I doing it. I just hope none of you get hurt..."-she trailed off.

 **[Heather is reading the book]**

 **Heather** : **Monstrous Nightmare... the Gronckle... here we go. The Deadly Nadder. Piercing spines, loyal, powerful...**

 **[Someone cuts in]**

 **Astrid** : **Intelligent, and, of course, deadly.**

 **Astrid** : **What do you think you're doing?**

Vikings were now looking intrigued. What would happen next?

Heather was feeling guilty about all this and addressed the blonde girl:

"I am sorry, Astrid. I don't know what I am doing in the future, but I definitely don't want to hurt you."

Astrid, whose fuse died some time ago, replied:

"And I am sorry too, Heather. For... what happened before, and for the future. Knowing how temperamental I can get, I would not want to see what happens to you!"

The both girls chuckled at the remark.

 **[Scene changes to Astrid, Hiccup and Heather in Chief's House]**

 **Astrid** : **Well, are you gonna say something?**

 **Heather** : **I am so, so sorry, Hiccup. I was cleaning up your room and I-I found the book. I couldn't help myself.**

"That is some impressive lying, Heather."-Hiccup said with a grin. Heather uneasily chuckled

 **Hiccup** : **It's okay, Heather.**

'Argh! This girl is melting my boy's brain, apparently. He is never like that around Hofferson lass! Let's hope she convinces him.'-Stoick was thinking, exasperated by his son's antics.

"He is not as bad as you, Stoick"-he heard Gobber say-"Back in the day Valka could tell you the most outlandish of things and you would believe her wholeheartedly. You were a sucker for her eyes."

"Thank you, Gobber."-the Chief replied, irritated.

 **Astrid** : **It's okay? What do you mean "okay"? She's reading the Book of Dragons.**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid, come on. Lighten up.**

 **Astrid** : **Me? She's the one sneaking around! Looking at... our stuff!**

 **Hiccup** : **Really? Sneaking around? Wha-what are you talking about?**

 **Astrid** : **I'm talking about last night. Near my house.**

 **Heather** : **That was me. I couldn't sleep so... I went for a walk. I was having terrible nightmares.**

"I take it back. You are an amazing liar!"-Haddock boy said with a small laugh. The other teens could only agree. The twins were wishing they had half of her skill - they would be able to get out of all pranks!

 **Hiccup** : **I can imagine.**

"You know, Hiccup, if I did not know you any better, I would think you...found liking to Heather."-Fishlegs said, looking at Hiccup. Haddock boy barely stumbled through words, saying he was just protective of her.

 **Astrid** : **Is this really happening?**

 **Hiccup** : **Okay, Astrid, that's enough.**

 **Astrid** : **You're right, Hiccup. _It is._**

 **Hiccup** : **I'm sorry about that.**

 **Heather** : **No. I'm sorry. I was wrong to look at your book.**

 **Hiccup** : **It's no big deal. I trust you.**

 **[Heather gives an evil smile]**

"Now that's a smile I will be seeing in my nightmares."-Hiccup deadpanned, though it was clear he was joking. Heather did not laugh at his attempt though. Her friends were helping her in the future yet she was betraying them! She was a terrible person. Whatever motivated her was better be worth it, or she would never forgive herself.

 **[Scene changes to Heather standing in front of Stormfly]**

"Is that...Astrid's dragon?"-Tuff asked no one in particular.-"Oh, my! Am I right in thinking that Astrid will now attack Heather and beat her to the pulp as well?"-He finished with an excited tone in his voice.

Everyone looked at Astrid, half-expecting her to do just that, only to hear:

"I am not attacking anyone. Anymore."

Heather couldn't help but draw a sigh of relief. As guilty as she felt, she did not think looking like being trampled over by a horde of dragons was necessary.

 **Heather** : **Approach the Deadly Nadder slowly.**

 **[Stormfly gets defensive and shows Heather her spiked tail]**

 **Heather** : **Spines. Just like the book said.**

 **Heather** : **Stay in the blind spot...**

 **[She takes out chicken]**

"That is pretty impressive, Heather. You are clearly very observant."-Fishlegs said, impressed by the fact raven-haired girl managed to find out about Stormfly's love for chicken. Heather weakly smiled in return. She was not enjoying what her future self was doing.

 **Heather** : **I hear you like that.**

 **Astrid (o.s.)** : **What are you doing with my dragon?!**

 **Heather** : **Huh. You really like to sneak up on people.**

 **Astrid** : **Only the ones who deserve it. And don't give me your innocent routine.**

 **Heather** : **I wouldn't think of it. You're way too smart for that, Astrid.**

"I confirm the statement made by me in the future. You ARE smart, Astrid."

"Thanks, I guess?"-Astrid said, in better spirits. At least she was right! Now just hoping nothing terrible would happen next. Her parents also looked pleased to see their girl did not fall for the stranger's charms.

 **[Heather pats Stormfly, much to Astrid's chagrin]**

 **Heather** : **I think your dragon likes me. See you later, Stormfly.**

 **[She leaves Astrid with Stormfly]**

"Wow, that is impressive, Heather. The way you talk, move, and act is unparalleled! Loki himself would be proud! You sure you don't know him by any chance?"-Ruff asked, in awe. Tuff could only enthusiastically nod. Heather sighed and replied:

"I don't know, Ruff. Maybe in the future I do..."

She heard screams of excitement from the right, guessing it was twins yelling in joy.

 **[Astrid looks at Stormfly with disappointment]**

 **Astrid** : **Really? Where's the loyalty?**

Stormfly could feel her new friend was disappointed with her in the future (though that food must have tasted amazing!) so she got closer to Astrid. To her happiness, the human hugged her, essentially forgiving her moment of weakness.

 **[Scene changes to Heather in Chief's house. She looks under the bed to find book is not there anymore]**

 **Heather** : **No, no, no!**

 **[She finds out Hiccup is working on it]**

 **Heather** : **Great. Now what?**

 **[Scene changes to Astrid in the forest with her axe]**

 **Astrid** : **Heather!**

 **[She throws the axe, embedding it into the tree]**

Vikings were impressed by the girl. 15 years old and could throw it that well? Unheard of! Everyone on Berk could fight, of course, (except for a certain boy) but very few knew how to do that before dragon training! Not that there was dragon training to get to, though.

Heather got scared for a second. If that was her instead of a tree, her skull would be split in half. She had to admire Astrid's skill though. She was also good with axes, but not on the same level as the blonde girl, that's for sure.

 **Astrid: "I think your dragon likes me."**

Even though the showing itself has been a bit tense so far, everyone laughed at Astrid's impersonation of Heather. She first did a great impression of Hiccup in the distant future, before making a funny acting of the new lass. Speaking of Astrid, she was blushing out of embarrassment but also because she was trying her hardest not to laugh at her own words.

The teens were laughing the hardest, in disbelief to see usually serious Astrid with such a girlish voice. Twins were howling with laughter, Fishlegs was laughing into his palms and Heather was laughing hardest in particular.

"Perfect impersonation, Astrid."-she said to the blonde girl, causing her to blush further and break into a laugh too.

 **[She takes the axe out of the tree]**

 **Astrid: No one messes with me and my friends!**

There was not much laughing left by now so teens clearly heard it. And they looked at the girl sitting in the same row as her with appreciation. One thing is to interact with someone, another to call someone your friend. And Astrid clearly thought of the others as friends, even though no one believed her in the future, even Hiccup.

Ruff looked a bit apologetic even, which was a bit of surprise to Astrid. She misinterpreted it as something else that was plaguing Thorston girl's mind. Fishlegs smiled warmly, knowing he was considered Astrid Hofferson's friend. Astrid Hofferson! And she was not as cold as he thought initially.

Hiccup looked really guilty now. His future self was embarrassing him, to be honest. Why would he not trust Astrid over a stranger? 'I should stop being so gullible'

 **[She hears Heather, and decides to follow her. Heather stops on the beach.]**

 **Astrid** : **This was stupid.**

 **[She is just about to leave when she notices something. A small ship with a familiar sign has stopped at the shore]**

 **Astrid** : **Wait...**

 **Astrid** : **That's an Outcast boat!**

There was an immediate uproar at Outcasts. Even members of hostile camp looked angrily at Alvin and Savage. The former did not care but the latter flinched, hoping he won't get killed. Stoick was also angry now, wishing he could just get up and 'talk' to Alvin. How dare Outcasts come to Berk?!

 **Astrid** : **Savage...**

If people were angry before, they were furious now. And they were all directing that fury at Alvin's aide. Even Mildew looked angry (though, to be fair, he is never happy). Dragons or not, Outcasts had no right to be on Berk! And that Haddock boy and his fiends should join them on their island for treason!

 **Savage** : **What have you learned about the dragons?**

 **Heather** : **I've learned a lot, Savage. But there's something else. Something that's going to make Alvin very happy.**

So Alvin WAS behind it! Almost everyone was now scandalized. This time, though, they were also angry at the girl for working for the Outcasts. Thankfully to her she was in the front and did not see the looks she was receiving.

 **Savage** : **I'm listening.**

 **Heather** : **They have a book. A Book of Dragons. It's got everything in it. Everything Alvin could hope to learn about controlling dragons.**

"Why would you want to control dragons, Alvin?"-Stoick asked of the Outcasts Chief. Everyone got quiet since the Chief was speaking.

"Well, I want some me dragons, Stoick. Nothin' wrong with that. You have them, don't ya?"

"We don't control dragons in the future, Alvin. Have you not watched the future? They stay because they want to."

"Can't say I knew that in the future, Stoick. You worried?"

"Worried? If you even get that book, Hiccup and the others will stop you!"

Hiccup felt immensely proud at the statement. His dad was not only siding with dragons, but even believing in his abilities! Now he was just hoping he could live up to the expectations...

 **Savage** : **Where is this book?**

 **Heather** : **I don't have it. But, I will! I promise. I just, I just need a little more time.**

 **Savage** : **Alvin isn't known for his patience! He won't be happy having to wait.**

 **Heather** : **Please! You have to trust me! When I get back to Outcast Island with that book, the wait will be worth it.**

 **[Astrid leans in and some rocks fall won, alerting Heather and Savage]**

"Never thought I would see the day when Astrid messed up something!"-Tuff said, though without any malice, only wonder. Astrid rolled her eyes at the twin. She could hear Snotlout whisper 'She messed up your face' to the male twin but decided to ignore it.

 **Heather** : **I better go.**

 **[Astrid runs towards Hiccup's house. She opens the door and proceeds to kick Hiccup]**

 **Astrid** : **WAKE UP!**

 **Hiccup** : **OW! WHAT-! Why would you _do_ that? What are you doing?**

"I suppose I deserve that, milady."-Hiccup said, chuckling at his future self's misfortune. He did not notice how he called her, but Astrid did. And it made her feel quite warm inside.

 **Astrid** : **Saving our butts! I just saw Heather talking to Savage! She is working with the Outcasts!**

"Please believe her, please believe her, please believe her..."-Hiccup was muttering, not enough for everyone to hear, but loud enough for his neighbor and Astrid with Fishlegs. They were all hoping he would.

 **Hiccup** : **What? She's upstairs, sleeping.**

Hiccup just groaned. 'Stupid me...'

 **Astrid** : **Oh, yeah? Let's go find out.**

 **[Heather gets in through the roof and pretends to be asleep]**

 **Heather** : **Hey, guys. Is everything okay?**

"Wow, she is good. Like, really good."-Snotlout could only say, and others agreed with him.

 **Hiccup** : **Yes, Heather. Everything's fine.**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid, don't you think it's possible you saw something else? I mean it's pretty dark out there.**

 **Astrid** : **I know what I saw. The girl is not who you think she is!**

 **Hiccup** : **So, who is she, then?**

 **Astrid** : **I-I don't know... _nobody_ knows! She just mysteriously washed up on our beach. You don't find that strange?**

 **Hiccup** : **No, because her ship was taken over by pirates. Her whole island is under siege.**

 **Astrid** : **The only thing "under siege" is your brain! You're not thinking clearly!**

"Thank you, for hitting the nail on the head."-Hiccup said, agreeing with Astrid.

 **Hiccup** : **Oh, really? _Me?_**

 **Astrid** : **Hiccup, the Outcasts could be attacking any minute!**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid, if there's one thing I know, it's this: Heather... is _not_ working for the Outcasts.**

"Thank you for your unwavering support, Hiccup, but Astrid is right. I should probably leave..."

"No, why? Look, Heather, you may be a liar in the future, but we still don't know the reason. I don't believe you are bad. Thor, I am sure no one amongst our friends thinks you are bad! Something is making you work for Alvin, and we will find out soon enough."

Heather looked past Hiccup and saw all teens offer her encouraging smile. She felt much lighter after that.

 **[Alvin and Savage observe their men working with the dragons]**

 **Alvin** : **Interesting... There's really no rhyme or reason to that thing, is there? Just catches fire at will?**

 **Savage** : **That's why we need the book! She says everything the boy knows is documented in its pages. If we have it we can control any dragon.**

 **Alvin** : **Eh? Then why aren't I holding this book in me hand?**

 **Savage** : **You will be.**

 **Alvin** : **Good! Because your life depends on it...**

 **Savage** : **I hate it when he says that.**

Throughout the scene, Vikings were glaring at the Outcasts' Chief, who, to his tribute, did not care a bit. He was hoping that girl would get him the book!

 **[Haddock's House]**

 **Hiccup** : **Hey, Dad, have you seen the book?**

 **Stoick: You'll have to be more specific, son.**

 **Hiccup** : **The Book of Dragons. I can't find it anywhere.**

 **Astrid** : **She's gone!**

 **Hiccup** : **Heather?**

 **Astrid** : **No! Stormfly! "Little Miss Innocent" stole my dragon!**

Hiccup looked down from the screen, feeling guilty. He should have listened to Astrid! Now Stormfly was gone, and so was the book! No wonder people thought of him as useless...

"Look, Hiccup, it is okay."-Astrid said, seeing the boy look forlorn.-"Sometimes we want to see the best in others, and that's what you did. I don't blame you. I am sure we can get the book back."-she finished, offering him a smile. After a few seconds Hiccup returned it.

 **[Scene changes to Dragon Riders]**

 **Fishlegs** : **Oh, this is bad. This is bad, this is bad, this is bad! This is catastrophic! I-If Alvin gets that book-!**

 **Hiccup** : **He won't. Heather... I can't believe it.**

 **Snotlout** : **Me either. How could she walk away from _this_?**

"That is probably the main reason she flew off."-Hiccup quipped, and received plenty of laughs, especially from the teens.

 **Hiccup** : **How could I not have seen it?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Because your brain was "under siege".**

 **Hiccup** : **Do you even know what that means?**

 **Tuffnut** : **Yes... no... it's not good, right?**

"No, it is not. How could you, Hiccup?"-Snotlout said, trying to get some revenge on his cousin. Hiccup did not feel he could defend himself so said nothing.

 **Astrid** : **No, it's not good.**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid look...**

 **Astrid** : **Save it! You can apologize when you get me my dragon back.**

 **Hiccup** : **Alright, let's go!**

 **[Scene changes to Stormfly flying uneasily]**

 **Heather** : **Whoa, whoa- E-easy girl! Whoa...!**

 **Astrid** : **We're never gonna catch them! Stormfly is too fast!**

 **Hiccup** : **When you're riding her, definitely. But not with a stranger.**

 **Snotlout** : **What's that? Up ahead!**

 **Hiccup** : **It's Heather. And is she ever gonna be sorry she helped me with Toothless' speed.**

"That would be quite ironic if you caught up with Stormfly thanks to Heather's idea."-Fishlegs chuckled. Several Vikings joined in.

 **[Toothless picks up his speed and gets closer to Stormfly]**

The smug look on Toothless' face was now really annoying Stormfly. Alright, she had to admit he was fast, but there is no need to rub it in! Night Furies are infuriating.

Toothless was hoping that would put the Nadder in her rightful place. Behind his tail, that is.

While the 2 dragons were having those thoughts, Vikings were in awe of the black-scaled dragon. Such an immense speed! And Hiccup, Hiccup! Was riding it! Despite having two people on his back, Night Fury was so fast it was terrifying. They were all murmuring in amazement, which Toothless could clearly hear and he decided to look back at the Vikings importantly. His facial expression caused plenty to laugh, as they could see the dragon was trying to look dignified! (but failing!)

Hiccup could only laugh and scratched Toothless, causing the dragon to lose any chance at saving his face.

 **Hiccup** : **I'll get you in close.**

 **[Heather throws chicken to Stormfly]**

 **Hiccup** : **I-is that chicken? Is that what you've been-?**

 **Astrid** : **Really? You wanna talk about that _now_?**

 **Hiccup** : **I'm gonna pull right above her!**

 **Astrid** : **Okay, okay... hold him steady.**

 **[Astrid jumps off Toothless and lands behind Heather on Stormfly]**

Her parents were worried, seeing her daughter pull such dangerous stunts. Then again, she looked more than capable, which only caused them to swell with pride. The Haddock boy may be the 'best of the litter' so to speak, but their daughter was definitely no pushover! Unlike that Jorgenson boy! Ugh.

 **Astrid** : **Going somewhere?**

"Ooh! Good one, Astrid."

"Yeah, cool phrase, Astrid! You receive 'Thorston catchphrases' approval!"

 **[Heather bumps Astrid off the dragon's back. Astrid manages to catch Stormfly's tail]**

Mr. Hofferson was now clearly worried about his little girl. His wife looked confident in their daughter but to him she would always be a precious girl, so he was terrified. He also could not understand why that black-haired girl was still trusted by his daughter, but supposed it was alright for now.

 **Astrid** : **Stormfly! Tail flip!**

 **[Astrid gets back to Stormfly's back and catches Heather]**

 **Tuffnut** : **This is gonna be awesome!**

Everyone agreed. This was going to be quite some battle! Heather and Astrid were just hoping they did not injure each other too much.

 **[Fishlegs notices something alarming]**

 **Fishlegs** : **Uh, Hiccup? I really hate to be the voice of doom, but we just crossed into Outcast waters!**

 **[Hiccup looks down and understands Fishlegs is right]**

Alvin smiled. He was so close!

 **Hiccup** : **Hey, Astrid?! You might wanna move this along!**

 **Astrid** : **Give me a minute! She's stronger than she looks!**

 **[All the time Astrid and Heather are fighting on Stormfly. Outcasts notice someone approaching]**

 **Outcast** : **Incoming! Fire!**

 **Hiccup (cont.): We can't let her reach Outcast Island!**

 **Hiccup** : **Uh...Astrid**

 **[Astrid is still fighting Heather]**

 **Astrid** : **Don't you _EVER_... touch...my dragon... AGAIN!**

 **[She manages to throw Heather off Stormfly, the Book falling off with her]**

 **Heather** : **AH! NO!**

Berkians were cheering. Their lass won! What would happen to the other girl though?

"Good fight, Astrid."-Heather said, weakly smiling. She was hoping she would survive. Surely she was not brought here only to die so soon?! That would make no sense!

"Not bad yourself."-Astrid said, a bit smug she won, though worried about her friend.

 **Snotlout** : **I'm going after the girl!**

 **Hiccup** : **I'm going after the book!**

"Says it all about the boys' mind, Spitelout. Hiccup wants to do what is best for the village, he tries to protect it, while your boy is thinking of girls all the time. And then you wanted Snotlout to be considered potential Heir."-Gobber chuckled, and Spitelout looked ready to murder the smith. However, his cousin was sitting between them so he decided to let it go, for now.

 **Heather** : **AHHH!**

 **[Snotlout catches Heather]**

"Thank you, Snotlout."-Heather said, relieved to be alive.

 **Snotlout** : **Gotcha! Knew you couldn't stay away.**

Too happy to know she was not going to die so early, she did not respond to the Jorgenson boy, just rolled her eyes.

 **Hiccup** : **Come on, bud! We need to get that book!**

 **Hiccup** : **Come on! Come on, come on, come on, come on, bud!**

 **[Hiccup is getting closer to the book. He nearly grasps it but a fireball his way stops him]**

 **Hiccup** : **NOOOOO!**

Everyone was silent. The book was now with Alvin. What would he do with it? Nothing good, that's for sure.

In the room, 2 people were feeling guilty. Heather, for betraying her friends and Berk, and Hiccup, for failing over and over again. He was hoping till the very end everything would be okay, but he was wrong...As usual, Hiccup the Useless strikes again...

 **[Hiccup get scorched a bit by a fireball and he flies away with the other riders, much to Outcasts' happiness]**

 **Fishlegs** : **Please tell me you got it.**

 **Hiccup** : **I was too late. Alvin has the Book of Dragons.**

 **['To be continued' is written at the end]**

The Berkians were now talking loudly to each other, mostly fearing what would happen next. They were hoping Alvin would NOT be able to work it out. Stoick looked concerned but was hoping his son would be able to fix all this. It was quite funny, to the Chief, how much faith he now had in the boy. Seeing his son 5 years into the future, a natural leader, was refreshing, and gave Stoick a lot of faith in Hiccup. He was sure his son would stop Alvin, that was a given.

Heather and Hiccup were not looking at anyone, feeling devastated how it all ended up. So imagine their surprise when they saw 2 people and their dragons sit closer to them. Astrid and Fishlegs came to comfort both of them, their dragons behind them as well. (Meatlug lied down between Stormfly and Toothless for the two fastest dragons were still at odds.) Both raven-haired girl and Haddock boy appreciated this, but still did not talk to the new neighbors. They believed they didn't deserve it. Astrid and Fishlegs were hoping that both teens would stop feeling guilty but decided not to pry. They needed to understand it was not their fault by themselves.

 _Without any warning, the screen turned on again and the 2nd part started..._

 **There it is. The 11th chapter. Less flame than last one. I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Now, as you can see I am showing some of Hiccup's insecurities, because a boy who was clearly a joke in the tribe would definitely have it. Since HTTYD hadn't happened yet, he doesn't have that confidence boost he earned with Toothless. Let's see what happens next with him then...**

 **Stoick/Hiccup relationship was analyzed a bit more, with Stoick showing faith in his son. Toothless/Village was also briefly here, to assimilate him to Berkians. Mr. Hofferson was given particular mention because many fathers care about their precious daughters. Also slow MENDING between the twins and Astrid. Clearly not enough but getting there. Fishlegs/Astrid relationship STRENGTHENED. Stormfly/Toothless relationship is not going exceptionally well. Spitelout may also be important in the future. Meatlug/Fishlegs, hooray!**

 **That's it, guys and gals. Thank you for reading the chapter. And following/favoriting. I am grateful to all the readers.**

 **Gonna let you off with only one disclaimer this time. My treat.**


	12. Friends or Foes: Part III

**Why so serious? I am back, after all. I am still in the middle of the move, but I had to endure a 14-hour flight. I did not enjoy it.**

 **Now, AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:**

 **I am contemplating writing a sequel to the story. Not the sequel including HTTYD, per se, but rather having characters react to their show, this time another one. I always enjoyed reading MLB reaction stories and I want to write one now. It would include all characters watching the show before the events! Plus, season 2 would come out in 4** **months, just in time when I would be in the middle of that story should I start soon. Each chapter would be much bigger than in this story since I wouldn't want to split the episodes there. Anyway, what do you say? Should I keep writing this story and finish it before going for that? Or start that one? I am on the fence.**

 **Announcement over.**

 **Anyway, this is the 3rd chapter of this arc. The last chapter was hopefully interesting.**

 **Now, back to spoilers. I mean disclaimers:**

 **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.  
**

Everyone was now waiting for something good to happen. Hopefully.

 **[Heather is running away from something. She gets close to the boat but Stormfly destroys it, knocking her back]**

Having seen the teens return with Heather, Vikings were surprised to see the girl alone.

 **Astrid: You can break out of jail as many times as you want, but you're _not_ getting off this island!**

Now it made more sense. They must have put the lass under arrest but she was running away.

 **[Astrid puts Heather behind bars]**

 **Astrid** : **Give it up, Heather. We have dragons.**

 **Heather** : **Astrid, I have to get back to Outcast Island!**

 **Astrid** : **Yeah, I bet you do.**

 **Heather** : **You don't understand! Alvin has my parents!**

Heather looked dejected when she heard that. Her parents were in hands of that...monster? She was praying to Gods her parents would be safe.

The other teens (and some adult Vikings as well) finally understood why Heather was a traitor in the future. They were hoping they would save their new friend's parents.

Hiccup gave a comforting smile to Heather, which she appreciated. She could also see Fishlegs do the same which made her feel even better. Astrid, in the meantime, was yelling at Alvin:

"You will pay for this, Alvin!"

Alvin knew by now that the blonde lass was not to be trifled with, but with book in his hands, he was relatively sure everything would turn out fine. Yet all Berk's youngsters would get to live in the future so maybe there was something he had to worry about, after all.

 **Astrid** : **Oh, yeah? What happened to the "pirates"?**

 **Heather** : **There were never any pirates. I made it all up. But, I had to. I needed you to trust me.**

 **Astrid** : **Well, guess what? _We don't._ Not anymore.**

For Berk's sake, Vikings were hoping their teens would trust the black-haired lass as quickly as possible.

 **[Scene changes to Savage and his men]**

 **Outcast #1** : **Uh, is that the book?**

 **[They are looking at the book which is being guarded by a wild Gronckle]**

'This is going to be good'

 **Savage** : **Looks like. The only question is, how are we gonna get to it?**

 **Outcast #1** : **Uh, if we had the dragon book, maybe it would tell us what to do!**

Many facepalmed. Intelligence was not that Outcast's strongest suit. Savage rolled his eyes at his men's incompetence.

 **Savage** : **You mean that book?**

 **Outcast #1** : **Uh, right!**

 **Savage** : **The husky, smart kid on Berk rides one of these dragons. They're very gentle.**

Fishlegs couldn't help but feel a bit happy that Savage called him 'husky'. Usually others would call him chubby, if not fat. Only his mom would call him that, so he was grateful to him. Plus Savage got it right when saying Gronckles are gentle. Meatlug was probably the most gentle dragon he has ever met. But this was a wild Gronckle, which would make it harder. Still, Fishlegs decided to talk to Hiccup about Savage later. If Hiccup really changed other's minds about dragons, Savage could also be changed!

 **Savage** : **So... go take it from him! What are you waiting for? It's just one little dragon, go!**

 **Outcast #1** : **Uh, hello there, uh, dragon. If you wouldn't mind, I'd just like to, uh, borrow your-**

 **[Gronckle doesn't like it and takes care of the Outcast]**

Ouch! Vikings knew too well what it was like, being attacked by a dragon. They were surprised to see a Gronckle do it, though. They were least dangerous than any, and the man's speech did not deter the dragon from killing him. There was definitely more to calming the dragons down than just talking to them, it seemed.

Savage cringed, seeing one of his men die. He did not particularly care for any, but he was still in charge, and losing men would turn out badly if Alvin was to find out.

 **Savage** : **Well, that didn't work... who's next?**

 **[Other Outcasts look everywhere but at Savage, who sighs. He then slowly approaches the dragon]**

Savage gulped. He was hoping he would survive this encounter.

 **[Scene changes to Dragon Training Academy. Snotlout is using a catapult to throw a stone at Fishlegs on Meatlug. Gronckle manages to catch it with its mouth just in time]**

 **Fishlegs** : **Hey, that was a little close, Snotlout!**

 **Snotlout** : **Quit whining, Fishlegs!**

 **[Meatlug throws lava at Snotlout, who dodges]**

 **Snotlout** : **Hey! Cut it out!**

 **Fishlegs** : **Quit whining, Snotlout!**

Vikings laughed at the antics of their two dragon riders. They all knew that Fishlegs and Snotlout did not particularly like each other, and found their interaction pretty funny, despite the circumstances.

The teens also found it somewhat hilarious. At least some things never change. Fishlegs and Snotlout, who befriended each other already, were laughing the hardest. True, Snotlout felt Fishlegs was his friend, but he would never stop teasing him. And why should he? His new friend looked to be good at coming back! Fishlegs had similar thoughts.

 **Hiccup** : **Nice job, guys. But remember, the Outcasts are not gonna be coming one at a time.**

 **Fishlegs** : **You don't need to remind me, we're under enough stress.**

 **Hiccup** : **Remember, we're only gonna have one shot at getting the Book of Dragons back.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Um, did I not make myself clear about the stress...?**

Fishlegs was now a bit red from hearing everyone laugh. Thankfully it wasn't at him, but rather at his quips. His parents, especially his mom, were laughing at what their son was saying, and so was Gobber.

His friends were gasping for breath now. Heather and Hiccup, despite still not fully recovering from guilt, were laughing hard, Astrid was trying her hardest not to fall backwards, and the other 3 weren't even hiding it. Twins were guffawing, repeating their friend's quip and laughing even harder, while Snotlout was rolling on the floor.

Fishlegs was happy to see that. His friends were doing something common, which could hopefully help to bond. They were a team, so they needed to be back together.

 **[Barf and Belch use their gas and sparks to send fire towards Snotlout and Hookfang. Snotlout gets out of the way early]**

 **Astrid** : **Too early, Snotlout. We have to time it perfectly!**

 **Snotlout** : **It wasn't me, it was them!**

 **Ruffnut** : **Uh, sorry.**

 **Tuffnut** : **Yeah, still working out the kinks.**

 **[They snicker]**

"Something tells me you weren't "working out the kinks"!"-Snotlout said, knowing twins too well.

"Well, you have to admit, having a dragon as a fellow prankster is cool."-Tuff said, and Ruff nodded. They both looked at a Zippleback still sitting on the other side of the room, who looked back at them with the same mischievous interest. The twins promised themselves and each other to get closer to that Zippleback and start Lokiying everyone as soon as possible.

As for other Vikings, they were feeling lightheaded now. Gods help us! Those two would be the end of them!

 **[Hookfang is still unsettled and is on fire]**

 **Astrid** : **Can you calm him down?**

 **Snotlout** : **Fine, whatever.**

 **[Snotlout grabs Hookfang's head and pins it to the ground]**

The teens looked impressed by Snotlout's skill. So were other Vikings, apparently. Spitelout actually looked proud of his son then.

"That was quite something, Snotlout."-Astrid said, hoping to break the ice between the two. She knew that could lead to him again trying to woo her, but she was still conscious of what happened an hour ago so she wanted to get back to their usual relationship, as strange as it sounded.

"Thanks, Astrid."-Snotlout said, surprising fellow teens ever more. He was not even boasting? Wow.

"Of course it is because I am so good with dragons, but trying to be modest here."

Ah, their Snotlout was here, after all.

In the meantime, a certain Nightmare was also looking at the black-haired boy with interest. Nightmares liked having their horns pinned to the ground (usually fellow dragons did it) so to see a human do it for him without trying to kill him was a nice change. Maybe he could see the boy...later.

 **Snotlout** : **Figured that one out yesterday. He likes it!**

Nightmare had to agree with that one.

 **Fishlegs** : **Wait, wait, wait. He _likes_ having his horns bent to the ground?**

 **Ruffnut** : **Tuffnut does.**

 **Tuffnut** : **I do?**

 **[Ruffnut jumps at Tuffnut, pinning him to the ground]**

 **Tuffnut** : **Oh, yeah... that does feel kinda nice. The dirt's soft...**

Some Vikings were sighing, other laughing at the twins. Their parents had their heads in hands.

Ruff decided to test the theory and tried it now too.

"You know, sis, I agree with myself. It IS nice..."

Their friends just rolled their eyes good-naturedly.

 **Astrid** : **Can we get on with it? There could be a whole army coming at us!**

 **Snotlout** : **Well? _We're waiting!_**

 **Snotlout** : **Hit it!**

 **[Hookfang uses fire]**

 **Astrid** : **Spines, Stormfly!**

 **[Stormfly sends spines through Hookfang's fire, making spines even more dangerous. One of the spines hit Tuff in the helmet]**

 **Tuffnut** : **Eh, I kinda like that too. Make a note.**

People were impressed by their tactic. They had a chance!

"Even then you nearly killed me, Astrid."-Tuff laughs, but with no malice. Astrid, who was starting to feel bad at first, felt relief. She decided this was as good time as any to apologize to Tuff.

"Hey, Tuff, I just wanted to say I am...sorry, for what I did. I was under a lot of pressure, but I shouldn't have snapped like that. It was reckless of me. I am so sorry."

"No hard feelings, A. Everyone needs to vent some steam once in a while. Look at me and my sister - we do that all the time! Plus, now I know not to mess with you - too much, that is. You won't escape Loki day though."-Tuff said and laughed. Astrid felt as if a mountain on her shoulders suddenly disappeared. She chuckled:

"Wouldn't dream of missing Loki day."

'Yes!'-Fishlegs thought.-'Astrid and Tuffnut are now okay. Snotlout too. Just Ruffnut left. There is also Hiccup & Heather though...'

 **Hiccup** : **That's gonna work great!**

 **Fishlegs** : **You know all this training is nice once we have the book. But Alvin's not just gonna hand it over to us.**

 **Astrid** : **No... but maybe Alvin will hand it to _Heather_.**

People were getting confused now. Heather?

Heather looked inquiringly at the blonde girl, who shrugged in return.

 **Fishlegs (whispering)** : **Uh... I think Astrid's been eating Dragon Nip again.**

 **[Astrid elbows Fishlegs in the ribs]**

As usual, 'legs was providing the fun. This time with Astrid. Speaking of the Hofferson girl, she looked at him apologetically, but he only smiled, showing it was fine. He was used to it, after all.

 **Fishlegs** : **OW! Why is it always violence with you?!**

 **Astrid** : **It's not violence, it's communication!**

"Have to admit, Astrid, it is pretty effective."-Heather said, chuckling. She was quiet before, but couldn't help but make the comment. Astrid, only too happy to see her new friend talk, replied:

"And no words required."

Both girls laughed a bit at that.

 **Hiccup** : **So you're suggesting that we let Heather go?**

 **Astrid** : **Sort of.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Yep. Dragon Nip.**

 **[Astrid punches Fishlegs in the gut]**

Fishlegs had no idea he was so funny. True, it was mostly his interactions with others that made other laugh deliriously, but still! His friends were also laughing. The twins found Astrid punching him hilarious, as did his fellow teens. He was somewhat happy to see Hiccup come back from his dark mood and laugh at Astrid's 'communication'.

 **[Scene changes to Alvin. Savage approaches him, his helmet on fire]**

Savage was sighing with relief. He was alive!  
Others were in a more sombre mood. Alvin had the book!

The Outcasts' Chief was grinning now. He had it!

 **Alvin** : **What's that on your helmet?**

 **Savage** : **Lava. Gronckle chapter. You might wanna read it.**

 **Alvin** : **Hm. Well, this is all very interesting. I'll have to see it to believe it.**

 **Alvin** : **Where's the girl?**

 **Savage** : **She was captured after she made the drop.**

 **Alvin** : **How unfortunate for her. But hey, let's give this a try, shall we?**

It was no surprise to see the Chief of the Outcasts so uncaring. The teens, however, having less knowledge of Alvin, were furious to see him disregard the girl who did everything to help her parents.

 **[Scene changes to teens on the beach, a boat ashore]**

 **Fishlegs** : **T-t-t-t-t-this is gonna w-work, right? Cause if it doesn't work, Alvin's gonna know all of our dragon secrets. And if Alvin knows all of our dragon secrets...**

 **Hiccup** : **Fishlegs! It'll work.**

"You are very good at reassuring people, you know that, Hiccup?"-Fishlegs asked his friend. He did not reply.

 **[Hiccup looks towards the rocks and sees a figure approaching]**

 **Hiccup** : **Oh, that must be-**

 **Ruffnut** : **Heather!**

 **Tuffnut** : **Get her! That rhymes!**

 **Tuffnut** : **YOU! MUST! STAY! IN! YOUR! CELL! How many times do we have to tell you-?!**

 **[The girl manages to outmuscle both teens]**

 **Astrid** : **It's me, you muttonheads!**

Everyone looked at Astrid's transformation with wonder. It was so convincing! With black hair, and a bit of changes she looked like the raven-haired lass!

"Impressive, Astrid. You will pull it off."-Heather said to Astrid, seeing the resemblance.

Her parents also looked proud of the transformation. Their daughter may just do it! Mr. Hofferson was still worried though - his precious girl was going right into the enemy's den!

 **Tuffnut** : **Whoa.**

 **Snotlout** : **Wow.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Oooh.**

 **Tuffnut** : **Oh, sorry, Astrid. Totally unconvincing.**

"Tuffnut, are you unnerving Astrid on purpose?"-Ruff asked, unhappy that her brother was always saying something that would get him in trouble.

 **Astrid** : **Oh, yeah, I could tell.**

"Finally learning sarcasm, milady?"-Hiccup asked with a small smile on his lips. Astrid grinned back:

"Well, I learn from the best."

 **[Astrid enters the boat]**

 **Hiccup** : **You sure about this?**

 **Astrid** : **No. But it's our only chance.**

 **Hiccup** : **We'll be shadowing you from the sky.**

 **Astrid** : **I don't need shadowing.**

 **Hiccup** : **Just in case. You know... it'll make _me_ feel better.**

 **[Astrid tries to hide the smile]**

This time Hiccup gave Astrid a real smile, and the blonde girl was happy to return it back.

"Thank you for taking care of our Astrid, Hiccup."-Mr. Hofferson said, breaking their eye contact.

"No problem, Mr. Hofferson."

 **[She manages to stop the smile and gets serious again]**

 **Astrid** : **Fine, just stay out of sight. If Alvin sees you, it'll all be over!**

 **Hiccup** : **Don't worry about us. Just get the book and get out of there. We'll be waiting.**

 **Hiccup** : **Hey, Astrid? Be safe...**

Heather smiled at Hiccup with that I-am-gonna-tease-you-now grin. Hiccup groaned, but was happy to see his friend back to normal, somewhat. To his relief, she decided to let him go, for now.

As for Alvin and Savage, they were hoping they would not fall for the blonde lass' tricks.

 **[Scene changes to Bucket bringing food to Heather]**

"Ooh! It is me!"-Bucked exclaimed happily.

 **Bucket** : **Anyone in here hungry? We've got a lovely cabbage soup tonight. Yummy!**

"I cook it meself!"

 **[He noticed the cell is empty]**

 **Bucket** : **Aw, not again! Stoick's gonna kill me!**

To Bucket's relief, Chief did not look too concerned.

 **[He opens the cell and comes inside]**

 **Bucket** : **Oh, not good, not good, not good...**

 **[Heather, who was above him, jumps at Bucket, knocking him out. She then puts Bucket into the cell and closes the door]**

Impressive escape, Vikings had to muse.

 **Heather** : **Sorry, Bucket, but I have to get to Outcast Island. And _nothing_ is gonna stop me.**

"It is okay, lass. Me bucket protects me! Go save your parents!"

Heather felt relieved to see Bucket so understanding. Bucket on his head or not, this Viking had a heart of gold.

 **[Scene changes to Astrid on a boat. She is looking at a map and notices she has entered the Outcasts' waters]**

 **Astrid** : **Whoa...**

 **[A dragon flies overhead. She finally gets to the shore, and leaves the boat. Astrid then manages to bump into Savage]**

 **Savage** : **We thought you'd been captured.**

 **Astrid (in a high-pitch voice)** : **I was! But I got away!**

"My voice does NOT sound like that!"-Heather said, looking mock-scandalized.

"Well I could not use my voice, could I?"-Astrid retorted.

"If Savage falls for that, he is dumber than he looks."

Both girls laughed at that.

 **Savage** : **Well, it's good to see you safe and sound. Get rid of her.**

Now Berkians were furious. They may not be the most intelligent Vikings in the Archipelago, but they would always fulfill their end of the deal. Never double cross anyone. Even Mildew found this disgusting. This was simply not in Berk's blood to do it. So their anger was turned at Savage who was now fidgeting in the seat, trying to hide himself from countless glares. Alvin was also glaring at Savage, but for a different reason: he fell for her tricks!

Astrid' parents were now getting worried. Hopefully Hiccup would be there to save their daughter!

The teens were also nervous and were hoping nothing would happen to Astrid.

 **A** **strid** : **WHAT?!**

 **Savage** : **We don't need you anymore.**

 **Astrid** : **Savage, wait! You _do_ need me! I can prove it! You have the book, right? I've watched them. I've learned from them. Trust me! That book is only worth something if you know how to use it.**

 **[Savage contemplates it, and Astrid smiles]**

"Great thinking, Astrid."-Hiccup said, while other teens were also complimenting the Hofferson girl. Everyone else was also impressed, and her parents looked proud.

"Thank you, Hiccup."

Stoick looked impressed. The girl was not only a great fighter, but also knew how to use words to her advantage. She was perfect for his son! He stopped thinking about them together after all that happened, but was now picking up hope again.

 **[Scene changes to Heather approaching Stormfly]**

"Are you going to do what I think you are going to do?"-Fishlegs asked Heather nervously. Tuff interfered:

"I know Heather is not going to do what I think she is going to do because it is not what Fishlegs thinks Heather is going to do! Wait, now I am confused."

Fishlegs and Heather could only chuckle.

 **[Heather wakes up Stormfly who sends spines her way, nearly impaling her]**

'Phew. That was close!'

 **Heather** : **Okay. Never startle a sleeping Nadder.**

 **Heather** : **Hey, it's me girl. Your old pal, Heather. You and I are gonna go on a little trip. I'm-I'm just gonna put this saddle on you.**

 **[She takes the saddle and approaches Stormfly]**

 **Heather** : **Sorry, girl. No chicken tonight.**

 **[Heather puts the saddle on and gets on the Nadder]**

 **Heather** : **See? No big deal. Okay. Good girl! That wasn't so hard. Now. Let's go find Astrid.**

 **[Stormfly seemingly understands Heather and flies out]**

 **Heather** : **Go, girl! Come on, Stormfly! Yeah! Come on!**

Heather looked impressed at Stormfly, with the dragon looking back at her with no malice. She looked at Astrid, who gave her friend a nod, and slowly extended a hand towards Stormfly, turning away her gaze. She was delighted to feel the dragon muzzling against her palm. She then proceeds to scratch Stormfly, something that Nadder clearly enjoys. It may not have been her own dragon, but bonding with a dragon felt amazing!

Toothless looked at Hiccup expectantly. The boy understood what his scaly friend was asking, and scratched him too, much to Night Fury's pleasure.

 **[Scene changes to teens flying on their dragons]**

Toothless finally looked somewhat interested. Finally he is here!

 **Fishlegs** : **I wanna go on record as saying I'm not so sure about this plan, Hiccup.**

 **Hiccup** : **If you have another one, I'm open.**

 **Fishlegs** : **I just think landing in a wild dragon nesting ground is really going to freak Meatlug out.**

 **Hiccup** : **Really? Well, how does she feel about flaming arrows and catapults?**

 **Fishlegs** : **Uh, yeah, she really doesn't like those, either.**

 **Hiccup** : **Oh, you don't say?**

Both boys laughed at their interaction in the future. Yep, sarcasm was still there. Fishlegs was happy to see Hiccup slowly come out of the shell he built after seeing himself lose the book.

Meatlug in the meantime was looking at Toothless with a smile. The Night Fury wanted to ignore the overweight dragon initially, but had to admit he found liking towards the Gronckle so he looked back and nodded. That was enough for now.

 **Snotlout** : **Tell you what, Fishlegs, when we get there, you just lay back, and let the real dragons do the work.**

 **Fishlegs** : **Yeah... You really have no idea what a swarm of angry wild dragons are capable of.**

 **Tuffnut** : **You know what would be awesome?**

 **Ruffnut** : **Flaming arrows... Catapults...**

 **Both** : **_And wild dragons!_**

No surprise at all to hear that from the twins...

 **Fishlegs** : **That makes three of you.**

 **[Scene changes to Alvin looking at the book]**

 **Alvin** : **Seems pretty straightforward to me.**

 **Astrid** : **It's _anything_ but straightforward, Alvin.**

 **Alvin** : **If there's one thing I've learned, it's that people will say anything to keep themselves alive. Isn't that right, Savage?**

 **Savage** : **Right! A-as usual, Alvin.**

 **Alvin** : **See? Now you say I need you to interpret what's in this book, to use it properly. I say it's nothing but a ploy.**

Alvin was happy to see he was not falling for her tricks. Mind you, she pulled off being Heather well enough, but he would eventually discover that too.

 **Astrid** : **Fine. Give it a try.**

 **[Alvin throws the book to an Outcast]**

 **Alvin** : **You heard the girl.**

 **[The Outcast approaches Deadly Nadder]**

Berkians were fairly certain he would meet the same fate the other man met when trying to get the book from the Gronckle.

 **Outcast** : **Alright. Uh, seems easy enough.**

 **Outcast** : **Uh... What kinda dragon is this?**

 **Astrid** : **It's a Deadly Nadder. You need the page number?**

 **Outcast** : **Uh... Nope. Nope, nope, right here.**

 **Outcast** : **Deadly Nadder. Likes to preen. Very sure of itself. Uh, constant grooming. Hmm, alright, we'll appeal to its vanity.**

 **Outcast** : **Well, you, uh, certainly are a lovely girl. O-or are you a handsome boy? Wh-who can tell?**

 **[The dragon clearly doesn't like it and sends spines the man's way. Astrid jumps, getting the shield and stopping the man from being impaled. She then throws the shield Alvin's way]**

 **Astrid:** Like I said. The book can only get you so far, Alvin.

 **[Alvin looks at her, unhappily]**

Berkians were impressed by the Hofferson girl again. She was calm, collected, and acted well under pressure. Stoick was now adamant to see her and Hiccup end up together. He would not force it on them, of course. Just give nudges. Maybe pushes.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well, well. Haven't seen AC in a while so let's see their reactions towards the first episode and the start of the 2nd. Enjoy.**

* * *

 ** _1st episode_**

 ** _Upon meeting Heather_**

Johann felt sad for the girl, because he knew how dangerous pirates were. He had close shaves with them himself so he could sympathize with the poor girl.

Viggo, however, agreed with the blonde girl. 'Astrid is right. Something seems off. Then again, woman's intuition has always been a better indicator than a man's intelligence'

 ** _AC are shown what happened in the 'future' room when Astrid and the teens started fighting_**

Johann looked horrified to see Astrid Hofferson nearly kill her friend, the male twin.

Dagur looked impressed, and so did Ryker. Viggo had to admit he was surprised to see that happen. He was also delighted because the team would be much weaker now, with so much resentment going on between everyone. Maybe he could use it to his advantage...

 ** _When Astrid confronts Heather in front of Hiccup_**

'That girl is good!'-Dagur couldn't help but think. She managed to wrap his brother around her finger!

Viggo and even his brother were also impressed by the girl. They would not mind having her work for them, she clearly knew how to manipulate others.

Mala and Throk were still silent, contemplating everything that was happening. They decided not to judge anyone until everything was done. Plus the dragons seemed friendly towards her, and they believed the dragons' judgment.

 ** _When Heather meets Savage_**

So she WAS a traitor!

Viggo couldn't help but be impressed by Astrid too. The girl was right, after all, and Hiccup Haddock was a fool for not listening to her.

Johann cowered, knowing whatever was about to happen would not be good.

Queen and her aide knew that the 2 vikings who were no longer with them weren't good, but seeing that proved it fully. They wanted to control dragons! That book MUST be destroyed!

 ** _When Astrid confronts Hiccup_**

'The boy is still immature, he clearly is not thinking with his head'-Viggo was contemplating.-'Something tells me we are not gonna meet each other for quite some time, Hiccup Haddock. You better start listening to Astrid or else you will not survive for long.'

 _ **When Heather and Astrid fight with others flying nearby**_

Ryker was scowling, but had to admit the blonde girl was not bad. She would be a worthy opponent one day. She did not stand against him, of course, but at least it would not be a walkover for him.

 ** _When they lose the Book to Outcasts and fly away_**

Mala and Throk were in despair. They had the book! Now those Vikings would use poor dragons for their own benefit! Hiccup Haddock better get it back!

Johann was unhappy with the result too. Berk was one of his favorite places to trade with, while Outcast Island wasn't. Plus Berkians were much nicer.

Dagur and the Grimborn brothers were now looking forward to finding out what would happen next.

 _ **2nd episode**_

 ** _When Heather says her parents are captured_**

Now they understood the reason behind Heather's actions. It did not necessarily free her from what she did, but at least it was now understandable as to why she betrayed her new friends. Providing she was telling the truth this time.

 _ **When Savage gets the book to Alvin**_

No one, not even Grimborn brothers, were happy to see the book in the possession of the Outcasts' Chief. Of course, all of them had different reasons for not wanting that to happen, but they were now all supporting Hiccup and his friends in whatever they were about to do

 _ **When it is revealed Astrid s going disguised as Heather**_

"There is no way they will fall for this disguise, will they?"-Dagur asked of others. Mala and Throk decided not to reply, so Viggo did:

"It is possible she could fool them in the dark."-He said carefully-"She just needs to get close enough to nip the book. The girl has already proven herself capable, so all we have to do is see what happens next."

 _ **When Heather runs away and flies on Stormfly**_

'Hopefully that would not complicate the things that were about to happen.'-everyone was thinking. They were now all openly supporting Berk's side.

 _ **When Astrid manages to convince Savage, then Alvin, of her usefulness.**_

'Not sure which girl is a better asset."-Viggo couldn't help but think-"Both of them smart, are know how to deal with pressure, can fight, are very brave and have many other similar skills. Having one of them fight for us would be great, with both it would be amazing! Now getting them to fight against dragons would be a bit problematic, but let's see...'

They were now all hoping that whatever plan there was in place to retrieve the book would work.

 **And that's it. This chapter is smaller than recent ones, but this was to be expected. Anyway, I got pretty badly sick during the move so I apologize if you feel the quality was somewhat down. In this chapter we saw a lot of teen bonding and mending their relationship. Heather and Hiccup slowly recovering, Tuff and Snotlout forgiving Astrid, Hofferson parents proud of their girl, a bit of Savage dilemma, and Stoick shipping his OTP again. Next chapter will be the last int he arc.**

 **Now I released this chapter despite struggling with health due to my 50th review. 25 favorites and 34 follows makes me so happy to see you interested in the story!**

 **This time you get 2 disclaimers:**

 **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**


	13. Friends or Foes: Part IV

**Welcome back. I just moved in so still lots of work to do, but I managed to get this chapter out. Anyway, I wanted to mention that the story now has a cover image. THIS IMAGE IS NOT MINE! Unfortunately I can not find the artist of this magnificent image so I will appreciate if you could find it! Thank you!**

 **Welcome to the big leagues (60k+ words)! Last chapter was pretty small, eh? Had to make sure you did not get used to big chapters. Plus 3rd chapter was supposed to be quiet, comparing to first 2 anyway.**

 **Anyway, this is the last chapter in the Friends & Foes arc. After that, we are off to see a bit more of HTTYD2 in the next chapter, followed by Fright of Passage (thank you for your suggestion!) and finished by S2 E19-20. That is, unless someone wants another episode out of the first 2 seasons? Again, just let me know, I can't read your minds.**

 **And, as usual, the disclaimers. I know you love them:** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**

Everyone, still impressed with Astrid's quick thinking, resumed watching the future.

 **[Scene changes to other teens flying on their dragons]**

 **Hiccup** : **You see this, Fishlegs? You got yourself all worked up for nothin'.**

 **[Wild dragons approach them]**

 **Fishlegs** : **Umm... You were saying?**

 **Hiccup** : **Guys, remember! Stick to the plan! No matter how crazy it gets.**

 **Snotlout** : **Crazy? I love crazy! Bring it! Wait! What's the plan again?**

 **Hiccup** : **Now! Fire!**

 **[They all throw fish from their baskets, and wild dragons leave them alone, going after the fish]**

Berkians were again impressed, this time by their other youngsters. Brilliant idea! Stoick has been puffing out his chest so much, Gobber was actually worried his friend would explode from pride. Surely it was Hiccup's plan, after all! And he led his friends perfectly! The boy is more capable being the Chief than he was when he was the same age.

 **Fishlegs** : **That's sweet!**

 **Snotlout** : **Yes! We did it! Stupid dragons!**

 **[Nadder flies in and takes Snotlout by fish]**

 **Hiccup** : **Would you just let go of the fish?! I'll catch you!**

 **Snotlout** : **NO! THAT'S MY LUNCH!**

 **Hiccup** : **Now!**

 **[Snotlout lets go of the fish and jumps on Toothless and they all fly towards the Outcasts Island]**

Stoick was even more impressed now. His son could control Snotlout! More or less. He couldn't control Spitelout at all!

 **Alvin** : **What is it?**

 **Astrid** : **The book. I need it.**

So that was the plan! Obtain the book and wait for others to get Astrid! Alvin was hoping he would not be stupid enough to believe the lying lass.

 **Astrid** : **Well, I didn't memorize it.**

 **[Alvin reluctantly gives Astrid the book, before pushing her into the arena]**

 **Astrid** : **Please be a Nadder, please be a Nadder, please be a Nadder, please be a Nadder. Please be a Nadder, please be a Nadder.**

 **[Instead, Nightmare comes up]**

Several Vikings groaned. Hofferson lass was better with Nadders, not Nightmares! Still, most of them had faith in the girl's skills.

 **Astrid** : **Ugh. Great.**

 **Alvin** : **Well? I'm waiting.**

 **Astrid** : **Alright, big boy. It's you and me.**

 **[Astrid tries to approach calmly but Nightmare blasts her back]**

Her parents were now getting a tad worried. Yes, they knew their girl would survive it, but they were still her parents! They would never stop worrying!

 **Astrid** : **Okay. Check that off the list. How 'bout the direct approach.**

 **[Astrid jumps on Nightmare's tail and tries to wrestle it]**

 **Alvin** : **Our little Heather is feistier than I remember.**

 **Alvin** : **This isn't anything my soldiers haven't already tried. You'll need to do better.**

 **Astrid** : **Ugh! The one time I wish Snotlout was here.**

 **Astrid** : **Snotlout...**

 **[Astrid finally realizes what she needs to do]**

Only a few people in the room knew by this point what had to be done. Hiccup, Heather and Fishlegs were quietly whispering what Astrid had to do, even though they very well knew she wouldn't hear. Stoick and Mr. Ingerman were the other two people who realized the successful tactic.

 **[Astrid jumps on the Nightmare but the dragon just slams its head into the rock]**

There were several gasps coming from the Vikings, especially the Hofferson family.

Among the dragons, in the meantime, Snotlout's future partner was looking at the dragon in question (because that dragon was indeed present in the theatre) with disapproval. True, he would have done the same, but it did give him a chance to show his dominance so he used it.

Toothless was meanwhile impressed by the female human's determination. Going against those annoying Nightmares is not easy for a dragon, let alone a human! No wonder his friend liked her so much!

 **Alvin** : **Well. That's the end of that.**

 **Savage** : **Wait! Look.**

 **[Astrid was struggling against the Nightmare]**

There were now claps heard throughout the theatre, even dragons joining in. Alvin had to admit he was impressed. It did not mean the girl has achieved what she had to, though.

 **Astrid** : **Urgh! These things don't budge!**

 **[Astrid looks into the Nightmare in the eyes before bringing it down on the ground]**

There was now an applause for Astrid from everywhere. Astrid even felt a bit embarrassed at all the excitement.

"Why are they cheering so much, Hiccup? It is not like I did anything that you or Fishlegs haven't done already."

"Fishlegs and I bonded with a dragon, Astrid. You tamed one, and a wild Monstrous Nightmare no less!"

Astrid looked at Hiccup and Fishlegs (who gave her a wave) and was grateful for their support.

 **Alvin** : **What?! Oh, ho! I told you she knew what she was doing!**

'Yeah, right.'

 **Savage (rolling his eyes)** : **Yes, you certainly did.**

"Were you rolling ye eyes at me, Savage?"-Alvin asked his aide angrily. Savage looked sheepish and decided not to answer that question.

 **Astrid** : **Ugh! What do you say we get outta here?**

 **[Astrid sits on the Nightmare's neck and takes the book. She then blasts the guards with the fire]**

 **Alvin** : **Going somewhere, Heather?**

 **Astrid** : **As far away from this place as possible!**

 **Alvin** : **Without your parents?**

 **[The guards bring out a couple]**

"Mother! Father!"-Heather cried out, before turning to Alvin-"You monster! You will pay for this, you hear me?"

She was now being restrained by every teen. While they were doing that, Astrid's and Ruffnut's gazes met and a wave of emotions went among them. Feeling of remorse from Hofferson girl was followed by admiration for the arena achievement from the latter. Most importantly, an apology was accepted. Both of them sat down feeling so much better. Astrid was even ready to hug Snotlout from happiness (she would axe anyone who offered her that, though).

 **Astrid (whispering)** : **Parents? She was telling the truth?**

"Sorry I did not believe you, Heather."

"It is okay, Astrid. If I were you, I wouldn't believe me either."

 **Alvin** : **I might see my way clear to trading 'em for that book.**

That scum! Only thanks to her friends did Heather control herself enough not to get up now and show that bastard what she is capable of!

 **[Astrid contemplates it]**

 **Alvin** : **Or you can leave and I'll kill 'em!**

Heather was now looking at Astrid pleadingly. True, they were not her blood parents, but they were still a family.

 **[Scene changes to dragon riders waiting for something. Snotlout is coo-cooing like an owl]**

 **Hiccup: What are you doing?**

 **Snotlout: Coo-coo, coo-coo! Duh, that's our signal.**

 **Hiccup (exasperated): Guys, we don't give signal this time, Astrid does. We talked about this.**

 **Fishlegs: Like any of this matters anyway? She is almost an hour late! We never should have let her go! Alvin must have figured out what was going on and, ahhh!"**

Astrid smiled at this. Fishlegs was a true friend.

 **Tuffnut: We told you guys, her costume sucked.**

Astrid decided to ignore that remark.

 **Hiccup: She will be here. It's Astrid.**

Now Astrid turned her attention towards Hiccup. His unwavering belief in her was so...amazing! And it made her feel butterflies in the stomach, having someone who will always support you and have faith in you.

 **[Scene goes back to arena. Alvin is with Heather's parents]**

Cue some tension in the room.

 **Alvin** : **Well, let's have it.**

 **Astrid** : **Send them over first!**

 **Alvin** : **Fine...**

 **Alvin** : **Off you go.**

 **[Heather's parents walk towards Astrid before realizing something was wrong, and it was not their girl. Astrid runs towards them]**

Heather felt so happy to see that not only Astrid was saving them, but also to see her parents recognize it was not her in the arena.

 **Astrid** : **Mom! Dad!**

 **[She pulls them in closer before whispering]**

 **Astrid** : **I'm a friend of Heather's. I'm here to help.**

 **Alvin** : **You do realize I'll never let you out of here with that book.**

 **Astrid (whispering)** : **No kidding! When I tell you, drop to the ground. It's about to get really hot in here!**

 **Alvin** : **Oh, Heather! I'm waiting.**

 **Astrid** : **Now!**

 **[She throws the book in the air as Heather's parents go down on the ground]**

 **Astrid** : **Sorry, boy!**

 **[Astrid punches the Nightmare and rolls out of the way as the dragon sends fire at Alvin and his people. Astrid then runs after the book but Alvin send bolas right into Heather's father. Astrid runs off to help him and Alvin grabs her and takes the book away from her]**

Initially impressed with her plan, it was disappointing to see it fail, but Astrid noticed no one else shared the same view. They all looked still pretty impressed by the attempt. She found it fruitless, of course, since it was not a success, but it was good to see that others did not feel it was her fault.

 **Alvin** : **Heather, Heather, Heather...**

 **[Alvin notices black dye on his hand]**

 **Alvin** : **Aye!**

 **Alvin** : **Or are yeh?**

 **[Scene changes to an impatient Hiccup, who was hugging Toothless. He gets up when he sees something]**

 **Hiccup** : **There's Astrid!**

This was confusing. Why would Alvin release Hofferson lass? Unless it was some sort of a trick, maybe a trap.

Alvin anticipated the trap already so was waiting expectatntly.

 **Fishlegs** : **Who's that with her?**

 **Hiccup (o.s.)** : **I don't know.**

 **[Astrid waves]**

 **Hiccup** : **But that's the signal.**

 **Hiccup** : **Okay, let's go bud!**

 **[Hiccup flies on Toothless towards Astrid and her companions, who are terrified of the dragon]**

 **Hiccup** : **Who's this?**

 **Astrid** : **Heather's parents. (whispering) She was telling the truth. Just go with the plan.**

 **[Hiccup looks up, alarmed, as Outcasts surround them]**

Yep, a trap.

 **Alvin** : **Oi! There they are! Get 'em!**

 **Alvin** : **Heh, heh, Hiccup. Bet you're surprised to see me.**

 **Hiccup** : **Eh, not really. This is where you live, right?**

People had to laugh at that deadpanned reply. Only Hiccup could say something like that in such a situation! His friends also found it funny, though Heather did give him a quick thumbs-up for the quip.

Even Savage found it funny, though he hid it well from his scowling Chief

 **Hiccup** : **Easy, bud. Looks like he's got us. This time.**

 **Alvin** : **You know, Hiccup, with this book, your knowledge of dragons, and my knowledge of warfare, we could make quite the team. How's that sound?**

Several Vikings had to admit they would have agreed to it. But thankfully for Berk, they were in minority. Most of them were at least hoping Hiccup would say no to that.

 **Hiccup** : **Uh, insane? Demented? Delusional? Stupid?**

Berkians were laughing even harder now. Definitely Hiccup's style! The other teens were just shouting in admiration and yet teasing him at the same time. Hiccup found his own deadpans pretty funny as well.

 **Alvin** : **Alright then, we'll just have to agree to disagree. You're a smart boy, Hiccup. You know I can't let you leave the island.**

 **Hiccup** : **And you're a smart, murderous, barbarian, Alvin. You know I have a better plan than this.**

 **Alvin** : **So do I.**

This was getting intense! Berkians (and some dragons as well) were now leaning in, hopeful of seeing a cool battle scene.

 **Hiccup** : **Now!**

 **Alvin** : **Now!**

 **[Dragon Riders come out and start fighting. Initially doing well, they start to lose advantage. Fishlegs and Meatlug are now trapped]**

 **Fishlegs** : **This wasn't part of the plan, Hiccup!**

Ingermans were now getting worried but had faith in their son to get out of it. Plus Hiccup would surely help him!

 **[Twins and their dragon go down next, twins falling off]**

 **Tuffnut** : **Yeouch!**

"Awesome! We should try it!"

"Definitely!"

 **[Toothless tries to blast Outcasts but they use shields to protect themselves. Astrid gets the shield to protect herself. Dragon riders are being surrounded]**

 **Hiccup** : **Look out!**

 **Snotlout** : **There's too many of them!**

 **Ruffnut** : **Whoa, whoa, whoa!**

 **Astrid** : **We're never getting out of here!**

 **[A dragon flies above them, first taking the net off Fishlegs and Meatlug and then freeing Barf and Belch]**

People were now cheering for the newcomers, who were surely the black-haired lass and Astrid's dragon. The teens were all celebrating her arrival as well, twins particularly cheery.

Alvin, however, was cursing under his breath.

 **Astrid** : **Is that...?**

 **Heather** : **Yeah!**

 **Hiccup** : **Heather!**

 **Astrid** : **Stormfly!**

 **Alvin** : **What? Heather?!**

 **[Stormfly lans and Astrid hugs her dragon before looking at Heather]**

 **Astrid** : **I'm sorry I didn't believe you!**

 **Heather** : **It's okay. I wouldn't have believed me either.**

 **Astrid** : **Now let's get your parents.**

 **[Astrid gets on Stormfly alongside Heather]**

Both girls just looked at each other with smiles, and gave high-fives.

 **[Other riders also take off. Stormfly grabs Heather's parents]**

 **Heather** : **Mom, Dad, hang on!**

 **[Barf and Belch come to protect the twins]**

"I love him! Or is it them?"-Tuff exclaimed, while his sister could only shrug in return.

In the meantime, a certain Zippleback decided to get acquainted with those two strange Vikings so he got up and started moving towards the twins, leaving Hookfang as the only dragon left in the front row. Everyone has gone quiet again, because, despite seeing Fishlegs do it before, Berkians were still in disbelief and wanted to see such amazing act again. Dragons were also excited and Alvin with Savage tried to remember everything those twins were about to do.

Speaking of Loki's worshippers, they were stumped at first when they saw two heads looking at them with curiosity and interest, before looking at Hiccup inquiringly. Haddock boy just showed them the hand, indicating they should try bonding with the dragon. So both twins eagerly extended their hands forward, hoping to get closer to the Zippleback. Barf and Belch looked at each other for a second, before deciding to lean in. Another wave of applause followed.

"Why are people clapping?"-Tuff asked, oblivious to what happened.

"They are clapping for you guys."-Fishlegs replied.

"But what did we do?"-Ruff asked, a bit surprised as well.

"You bonded with a dragon."-Astrid added.

The twins looked at each other, surprised at first, before grinning and crashing their helmets together. Their new dragon tried to replicate what their human companions did, and banged their heads too. Vikings found this funny, yet endearing at the same time.

 ** _A/N: You got the twins bonding! Now Snotlout left!_**

 **Hiccup** : **Alright guys, just like we practiced!**

 **Hiccup** : **Ruffnut, cover fire!**

 **Ruffnut** : **It's about time!**

 **[Barf starts hissing gas at the catapults]**

 **Tuffnut** : **I love this part! Wait for it...**

 **[Belch ignites the gas and destroys the catapults]**

"Awesome! Great job Barf/Belch"-both twins said in unison, addressing their respective heads. Both dragon heads only grinned in return.

 **[Catapult send a huge boulder at Hiccup, but misses, heading towards Fishlegs now]**

 **Hiccup** : **Fishlegs! Incoming!**

 **[Meatlug captures the rock]**

Meatlug looked at Fishlegs appreciatively and Fishlegs hugged his adorable dragon.

 **Fishlegs** : **Whoa! Nice catch girl! Lava blast!**

 **[Meatlug send the lava blast right into the catapult]**

 **Fishlegs** : **That's it, Meatlug!**

 **Heather** : **Yeah!**

 **[Outcasts try to hit Stormfly and her riders with arrows, but miss]**

 **Astrid** : **Now, Snotlout!**

 **[Hookfang lights himself on fire]**

 **Snotlout** : **Go for it!**

 **[Stormfly sends spikes through Hookfang's fire, making them more dangerous. They scare away the Outcasts]**

 **Snotlout** : **Yee-haw! You feelin' the heat, boys? 'Cuz _I_ sure am!**

Everyone was cheering again. Another brilliant move by their youngsters. The 2nd row was particularly cheery. After all, it was their kids who did it! Spitelout looked smug, while Ingermans and Thorstons were proud to see their children do so well. Hoffersons and the Chief looked neutral but they were also cheering on the inside. Gobber told Stoick:

"Probably the best generation Berk has ever seen, eh, Stoick?"-the Chief could only nod.

 **Hiccup** : **Great job, guys. Let's get out of here.**

 **[Savage and Alvin see that dragon riders are flying away]**

 **Alvin** : **They're getting away! Stop them!**

 **[Alvin picks Savage up and places him into the catapult]**

'Oh, no! Please let nothing happen to me! I will be a good man if I survive, I swear!'-Savage was furiously thinking, praying to Gods he would live through that. He was also getting annoyed with the Chief. True, he was never happy under Alvin's command, but seeing how Berkians were unhappy by what Alvin was doing, was actually an eye opener. He was still an Outcast, true, but at least here they would not go against him. Hopefully.

 **Savage** : **Shouldn't we test this first?**

 **[Alvin releases the catapult, sending Savage flying]**

Some Berkians found it funny, but others were angry. They liked getting scars, but not because you were sent flying by a catapult! So there were plenty of sympathetic looks at Savage, who looked a tad more comforted now.

 **Savage** : **AAAAHHHH!**

 **[He manages to knock Astrid off Stormfly]**

"Why always me?"-Astrid deadpanned. Her friends could only helplessly shrug in return.

 **[Savage and Astrid fall on the trees, the Outcast falling immediately and Astrid holding on for a moment before falling down on the ground. Alvin picks her up as she struggles]**

If looks could kill, Alvin would be in Helheim by now. Mr. Hofferson was sending him the glare that could terrify anyone, and Alvin even felt it.

Savage was eternally grateful he was alive. He may have forgotten the promise he made, as well.

 **Alvin** : **Why you little-**

 **Hiccup** : **Astrid!**

 **[Hiccup flies on Toothless, blasting near Alvin, careful not to touch Astrid]**

Mr. Hofferson now looked at Hiccup, but this time the gaze was different. He was extremely grateful to the boy who was always willing to protect his precious daughter. He could definitely see Hiccup loved her just as much as he did.

 **[Alvin gets to the edge of the cliff and leaves Astrid hanging over nothing]**

Now all of Berk was looking furiously at Alvin. They couldn't get up, and that infuriated them even more! Where was that demon?!

 **Alvin** : **Surrender! Or I'll... eheheh, you know the rest.**

 **Hiccup** : **Do it, bud.**

 **[Astrid notices the Nightmare flying below her. She realizes what she has to do]**

 **Astrid** : **Hiccup! Don't shoot!**

 **[Toothless, who was just about to send a blast, has to swallow it down. He doesn't look too pleased]**

Nadder close to Toothless was now making a noise that some would describe as a 'laugh'. That was probably what it was since the Night Fury looked at Stormfly unhappily, before turning to Hiccup, as if saying:'You see? She started it!'

Hiccup could only laugh himself, which did not please his friend in the least. However Toothless knew it was for the best to try to get along with others. He certainly had no problem with female Gronckle the husky boy called 'Meatlug' and he was fine with that Zippleback named 'Barf and Belch'. It was this, this, 'Stormfly' that bothered him the most.

Astrid, in the meantime, was quietly scolding her dragon for laughing at Hiccup's dragon. If anyone told Astrid 2 days ago she would be SCOLDING a dragon, she would have thought that person had gone mad, yet she was now doing it to HER DRAGON! Still unbelievable.

Eventually Stormfly decided to squawk what was probably an apology. Toothless huffed at first, but seeing Hiccup nudge him, he warbled something in return. That was good enough, for now.

 **[The Nightmare flies up and gets Astrid off Alvin. Hofferson girl managed to get the book off the dazed Chief before flying away on the Nightmare, alongside Hiccup and Toothless]**

There were now cheers for the said dragon, who was sitting in the room. He looked pretty happy to be getting appreciation from humans. Even some of the dragons roared a compliment or two.

 **Hiccup** : **Who is that?**

 **Astrid** : **Just a new friend I made.**

The said Nightmare was a bit disappointed to see the female human taken by the Nadder, but he was still hoping to find a human to bond with. It looked like the dragons near the human hatchlings enjoyed it. He even noticed a certain male human looking at him with appreciation. That must have been the girl's father.

 **[Scene changes back to Alvin and Savage, looking at the flying dragons and their riders]**

 **Alvin** : **Did you see that? That dragon came for her. It protected her!**

 **Savage** : **Bonded with her. We need to get that book back, Alvin!**

 **Alvin** : **Oh, we need more than that book. We need that _boy_.**

"Over my dead body!"-Stoick roared, finally speaking up after a long period of silence from the Berk Chief.

"That can be arranged, Stoick."-Alvin said, grinning maliciously. Stoick just wished he could get up and show his old friend what he could do.

"Leave Hiccup alone, if you know what is good for you, Alvin."

"I am afraid I can't do that, Stoick. Yer boy is good with dragons, so I am gunna take him."

After a long staring contest, both Chiefs eventually sat down to see what happens next.

 **[Scene changes to Berk's port]**

 **Heather** : **I can't thank you enough. Especially you, Astrid. You put your life on the line for us. I'll never forget that.**

 **[She hugs Astrid, who is uncomfortable at first, but pats Heather on the back]**

Heather did the same to her friend and Astrid returned the hug.

 **[Hiccup extends his hand, expecting a hug, but doesn't get one. Instead Toothless gets a pat on the head by Heather]**

Toothless looked at Hiccup with a gummy smile. He found the ignore quite funny. Hiccup was disgruntled at first, seeing Toothless make fun of him, before laughing himself.

Heather thought it was a bit mean of future her to do that so she gave Hiccup a hug and he gladly returned it.

"Group hug!"-Tuffnut shouts, as he jumps amidst the four teens and their dragons and forcefully bringing them closer together for a hug.

"Hugging is for girls."-Snotlout said with a sneer, refusing to move.

"Then that is exactly for you, Snotlout."-Ruffnut said, and pulled Snotlout, against the Jorgenson boy's wishes, into the groups as well. They, alongside the dragons, had an extremely awkward hug, but it did not change the fact every single one of them felt very happy, being close to their friends.

The 2nd row was also in good spirits, seeing their children bond after an earlier ordeal. Even Spitelout looked somewhat happy (despite not being convinced hugging is a manly activity).

 **Heather** : **I'm gonna miss you. Both of you.**

 **Hiccup** : **Eh, who knows. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime.**

 **Heather** : **Maybe we will.**

 **Hiccup** : **Just promise me one thing: If you need help again, you'll ask.**

 **Heather** : **I will. I promise.**

 **[Heather runs towards the boat and boards it, before the boat leaves Berk. All the time, Heather is waving at her friends, who wave back]**

It was somewhat a bittersweet moment. All the teens were a bit downcast to see Heather go. They were just hoping they would meet again someday.

 **Hiccup (v.o.)** : **Ever since dragons showed up on Berk, we've learned to expect the unexpected.**

 **[Boat passes Snotlout]**

 **Snotlout (whispering)** : **Write me.**

 **[Heather smiles and shakes head in exasperation]**

A few weak laughs could be heard, but overall the room was somewhat somber now. Berkians grew to love the black-haired lass who bonded with their youngsters so well, and they liked what she did in the future, so seeing her leave was sad for many.

 **Hiccup (v.o.)** : **But every once in a while something or someone comes along that surprises us. And when that happens, you kind of hate to see them go.**

 **[Astrid punches Hiccup in the shoulder, as Toothless finds it quite funny]**

 _The screen turns black._

"Well, I guess this is it, guys. I am leaving this place."-Heather said sadly. Her friends looked like they wanted to protest, but could do nothing about it.

 _"But why would you do that?"_ -A demon asks, not visible in the room. Some Berkians winced, but most of them have gotten used to the voice by now.

"I am not staying, am I?"-Heather asked, with hope in her voice.

 _"Now why would I tell you that?"-_ a demon replied, drawing annoyed huffs from several people- _"Regardless of whether you appear or not, you can still stay. Or you could leave your friends if that's what you want."_

Heather looked at her friends and everyone else in the room. She did want to leave this strange place, and probably hug her parents, badly. But leaving her friends? That was hard. She eventually said:

"I am staying."

* * *

 **A/N: I kept her! Yay me! Now the AC reaction towards this part of the episode.**

Viggo was impressed by Hiccup Haddock. The boy was really something. Grimborn even had to admit he was looking forward to the battles he would have with the Heir of Berk. The world was full of sheep nowadays, and he was striving for a challenge. He finally got one.

When AC saw Astrid trying to tame a Nightmare, they all had different thoughts in their heads. Mala and Thork were unsure as to whether support the girl who would not hurt the dragon, or the dragon because they did not want it to be tamed.

Johann was terrified seeing Miss Astrid have a go at the Nightmare. He was hoping the girl would escape with minimum damage.

Dagur and Ryker were enjoying the scene very much, finding the fights pretty cool.

Viggo was observing how the girl was going against the Nightmare. He knew how to tame many dragons, he just never found any use to it. He could maybe try it to prove that people can't change just because they bonded with dragons.

When Astrid won, Dagur was clapping, while Ryker was scowling. Johann was also happy, while the Queen and her aide said nothing, as did Viggo.

Seeing Heather's parents was shocking to many, though. Only Viggo was relatively sure what Heather was saying was actually the truth. Others thought she was just lying to the teenagers. Johann was now supporting Heather as well, hoping the lass would be able to get to Outcast Island in time.

When Astrid tried, and failed, to escape and save Heather's parents at the same time, Johann looked sympathetically at the attempt, but Viggo was internally criticizing the plan, noticing the flaws and holes in it. Still, it was probably the best she could have done, so there was that.

Alvin's and Hiccup's showdown was interesting to AC. They got to see them interact, Hiccup use his humor again (Viggo found it impeccable, while his older brother annoying) and Alvin set a trap. A fight was also enjoyable, though Johann had to cover his eyes at some points. Dagur was just jumping on his seat, clearly enjoying the viewing.

Heather's arrival received mixed reviews. Some were happy she has come to help, others still not fully trusting her for what she did (or they just plain did not like her).

Astrid being hostage to Alvin drew some noises of anger and fury from the Queen, because she found using people as hostages dishonorable. Others were now expecting the Night Fury to save her. So they were very shocked to see the Nightmare Astrid bonded with so soon ago. Everyone's world was shaken. Mala and Thork were now certain dragons found them as friends, and they were not being tamed or mistreated. Dagur, Ryker and even Viggo looked shaken up somewhat. Grimborn brothers have seen dragons bonding with people before, but for a dragon to go and protect the girl? Like that? It was hard to take in. Viggo was now pretty intent on trying it out, just to prove everyone wrong. He was not certain of the outcome though.

Heather's departure was somewhat saddening, with Johann and Dagur tearing up. Others were more reserved in their emotions.

The showing was concluded for them as well.

 **And that's the end of the chapter. Pretty small, I know. But you got plenty of relationships in here so I am pretty happy! The group is back together! I hope you are happy! I know I am! Also Alvin/Stoick, Toothless/Stormfly, Astrid/Stormfly, Hiccup/Toothless, Savage/Alvin, Savage/Others explored. And did I see Savage mind changing? I must be wrong. I may have seen a certain cunning man also have some doubts, as well as his brother and a Berserker Chief! What gives?!**

 **Now you should know something:**

 **I HAVE NOW DECIDED ON A SEQUEL TO THE STORY! IT WILL BE CALLED B &C R: MIRACULOUS TIME. IT WILL, OF COURSE, BE A REACTION SHOW OF "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR" CHARACTERS WATCHING THE SHOW. IT IS STILL IN THE AIR THOUGH, WHETHER IT HAPPENS BEFORE, OR AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE SHOW. IT WILL BE COMMISSIONED IN DECEMBER 2017. UNTIL THEN B&C R WILL BE YOUR GO-TO STORY.**

 **Now, the main reason that kept me going to write this chapter was you. All of you read my story and I am deeply thankful for that. I received several follows/favorites that only enforced my will to write the chapter. THANK YOU!**

 **Next chapter will be HTTYD2 reactions. Hopefully you enjoyed Friends or Foes arc.**

 **Disclaimers:** **HTTYD characters, script and movie (and everything else) belongs to DreamWorks Pictures and affiliated companies. The presenter is also not mine, but a character of Disney Studios. They have all the rights on the character. Additionally, some of the additional characters have been introduced in Dragons: Race to the Edge, which has been streamed by Netflix. So, those characters as well as their script and everything else belongs to Netflix. I own only their reactions. The story is for entertainment purposes only, with no financial gain involved.** **All the characters belong to Cressida Cowell.**


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